


Crisis On Earth-1

by Bl00dy_P3nguin



Series: Saving The Day [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), Supergirl (TV 2015), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Earth-1, Earth-38, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, S.T.A.R. Labs, The DEO | Department of Extra-Normal Operations, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-05-10 08:57:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 75,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14733929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl00dy_P3nguin/pseuds/Bl00dy_P3nguin
Summary: After Iris goes missing, Team Flash work around the clock to locate her. Barry stops responding to Kara's message and the Kryptonian grows worried. She travels over to Earth-1 in order to discover the truth. Finding out Iris is missing, Kara volunteers to stay on Earth-1 and find Iris before it's too late. Elsewhere in the darkness, a Speedster and Kryptonian unite to destroy their enemies. The Flash, and Supergirl have defeated every threat that's come their way, but on the darkest of days, sometimes even the greatest heroes fall.[UPDATED EVERY WEDNESDAY & SUNDAY - SEQUEL TO 'HEROES JOIN FORCES']Thanks to @meekayylaa for editing, proof reading, and putting up with my constant rambling about Crisis On Earth-1! She's been a major help, and without her I doubt we'd be here right now!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'M BACK! Wow, it feels amazing to start posting again! I've been watching my engagement grow since January, and I've loved checking back everyday on Heroes Join Forces. And here is the long awaited (not really, it's only been a few months) sequel to Heroes Join Forces, Crisis On Earth-1! I've been writing this since January, and it's been a long ride.  
> I have to give a huge shoutout to meekayylaa for helping me get through this, and editing all my work. She's an absolute gem, an absolutely amazing writer, and I love her to death.  
> I'd also like to thank Sydneys2003 for inspiring Crisis on Earth-1. Unfortunately, I cannot say how they did it, because it'd be a massive spoiler, but I'll properly credit her once the time is right. Her work is amazing, and I adore it! You all should check it out!  
> This'll have the same schedule as Heroes Join Forces, I'll be posting a new chapter every Wednesday and Sunday in Australia. I hope you all enjoy!

Months since Earth's Mightiest Heroes took down Cadmus, Kara and Barry had spent every single day talking during their free time. Now and again, Kara would have to take off to 'chase down a lead', and Barry would 'go for a run'. But mostly they kept in touch, reminiscing about each other's days to each other. It was an important part of life to decompress. But lately that wasn't the case for the 'SuperFlash' couple (as Winn had so graciously dubbed it). It had been nearly thirty-six hours since Kara had heard from Barry, and despite the constant texts of 'Hey, you okay?', and 'I'm worried, Bar. Is everything okay?' there was complete radio silence from the Scarlet Speedster. It was starting to weight on her, quite a lot, and Alex was the first to take notice. James, Winn, J'onn, and Lena followed suite in taking notice, but sisters intuition trumps all. 

Finally catching Kara at a moment of her leisure, Alex slipped inside the apartment and closed the door behind her, satisfied with the soft click of the lock sliding into place. It wouldn't stop the Girl of Steel if she attempted to flee, merely provide Alex the opportunity to threaten to cut off Kara's supply of D.E.O. supplied pizza and potstickers. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

That was Kara Danvers' true Kryptonite. She looked at Kara, fiddling with her phone as she sat on the couch. She was currently twenty minutes into an episode of the Originals, and Alex rolled her eyes fondly. Of course, Kara would be obsessed with vampires, werewolves, witches and warlocks. But Alex had to admit, Elijah Mikaelson was perhaps enough to turn her straight. Shaking off the thoughts off the attractive Mikaelson's (especially Rebekah) she grabbed the remote off the kitchen counter and paused the episode, chuckling sweetly at Kara's irritated gasp; Kata craning her neck towards Alex, wide-eyed, furrowed browed, and crinkled nosed.

"Who are you? What have you done with Alex?" Kara feigned humour, Alex saw right through the facade. Her sister couldn't stop fiddling with her mobile phone, eyeing it in case it vibrated in her hands. Every time it did, Kara let a growl escape the back of her throat. It wasn't Barry. It seemed everything in the universe appeared on her phone's lock screen before the love her life, his name with two yellow hearts on either side to the match the colour of the lighting emitted when he ran faster than the speed of light.  
Alex's teeth were about to rot from all the sweetness, but lately Kara's mind has been preoccupied with waiting for Barry to answer her sickeningly desperate text messages. It wasn't like Kara could just fly over to his apartment and knock on the window. It was a little harder considering they were thirty-six earths away from each other in the multiverse. 

Watching as Kara sighed, Alex sat down and placed an arm over her shoulder, tugging at the Kryptonian to lay down. Kara always was more willing to decompress in Alex's embrace, and the elder Danvers took much pleasure in exploiting it. Sharing a bedroom with someone for nearly nine years showed you things no one else would even notice if it were staring them directly in the face. She gently sighed and plucked the phone from Kara's grasp, switching it off and storing it in the inside pocket of her leather jacket, tugging the outwear over her shoulders tighter.

"We need to talk, Kara. You've been acting off and I swear if Lena texts me one more time asking if you're okay, I- I can't be held responsible for what I'm going to do to her!" Alex joked and luckily it prompted a chuckle from Kara. Of course, Alex wouldn't dare hurt Lena unless it was life or death, Lena had saved Kara's life countless times and they were best friends. Plus, Alex would never admit it but the youngest Luthor had left an impression on her.  
"Talk to me, I'm here for you." Alex cooed softly and ran a hand through Kara's beautiful blonde locks. She knew what was bothering Kara, but she had to push her sister into saying the words aloud. Afterwards, Kara and Alex could devise a plan of attack.

"I'm... Rao, I'm gonna sound like such a child. I miss Barry, and I- I'm worried." Kara admitted, feeling her shoulders suddenly heavier. She fiddled her fingers as if she still had her phone within her grasp. Alex made a mental note of that and offered a nod of acknowledgement.  
"He hasn't been answering my texts, that's not normal behaviour, Alex! It's been thirty-six hours, and I haven't heard a single peep. Can you imagine if Ma-" She cut herself off before she mentioned Maggie, but it clicked in Alex's mind. That name was strong enough to curve Alex's usually straight lips into an uncomfortable frown. 

"You don't sound like a child, Kara, you sound like you care," Alex started and Kara's bottom lip quivered gently. Perhaps it was in relief, perhaps it was in sorrow. Either way, Kara slowly curled up into Alex further. She always felt safer in Alex's arms, always had been, always would be. "I have an idea! Didn't you say that Crisco-"

"Cisco."

"Cisco," Alex corrected herself. "Didn't you say that Cisco made you a device to travel back and forth between universes? Why don't you go over to Earth-1 and find out what Barry's up too? I can let J'onn know as soon as you leave. He'll just have to fill in as Supergirl for a few days." Alex and Kara both chuckled sweetly at the thought of J'onn pretending to be Supergirl. It always lead to hilarious encounters that J'onn would rather leave unspoken, but Alex never let him live down.

As Alex spoke, Kara's face lit up like fireworks. She practically began to bounce up and down on her couch. She'd considered this idea, of course. But she'd talked herself out it, fearing Alex wouldn't give her blessing on the endeavour. But after hearing Alex speak of the mission with such zeal, Kara couldn't help but be filled with determination. She shot up out of her sitting position and dashed into her room, swapping out of herself pitying pyjamas, and into her Supergirl attire, cape flapping in the soft breeze coming through the open window behind Alex, ruffling her auburn hair with every gust. 

Kara searched for the device Cisco had given her after the Dominator Invasion. It was both a token of friendship, and of gratitude for helping a group of complete strangers in their time of need. Even after being mind controlled into nearly killing Barry and Oliver who'd avoided such an unfortunate incident. She'd placed it somewhere in her apartment but couldn't quite remember where. It was a silver disc with a blue centre, easy to misplace and hard to spot. But it was a material that wasn't commonly found in lofts, and Kara could detect it using her x-ray vision. She scanned the loft and spotted it by the window, left of the television on a countertop. She quickly skipped across the room and grabbed the device, fiddling with it within her grasp.

"He's not gonna... find me... clingy, is he?" Kara muttered under her breath, anxiously running her fingers through her blonde locks. Last thing Kara wanted was to push Barry away when all she wanted to do was get closer to him. If he found her clingy or possessive he might sever ties, and Kara wouldn't be able to do anything about it. After all, Earth-1 and Earth-38 aren't exactly next door.  
"Maybe I should just wait-"

"Kara Danvers, if you don't open that breach, I'll do it myself and throw your ass through. Do you understand me?" Alex threatened, lacing her voice with playful venom. Of course, she'd support Kara no matter her choice but Barry made her happy, and Alex didn't want Kara to jeopardise that. Especially in fear of jeopardising it. That was the most foul-tasting irony the universe could slam down on your plate. She walked up to Kara and brushed a few stray hairs off of Kara's face, tucking them behind her left ear with a soft smile, leaning in to kiss her forehead.  
"I'll cover for you at the D.E.O. I'm sure J'onn won't be too mad," Alex smirked and rolled her eyes fondly. He was going to be pissed. "Go get 'em."

"I love you, Alex."

"I love you too, Kara."

Pressing the button on her device, Kara watched as a breach appeared, beautiful swirling in the middle of her loft. She admired its beauty but snatched her phone from Alex who'd recently removed it from her breast pocket. She unlocked it and tapped on Lena's contact, typing away at a small message that would explain her absence from CatCo and 'Tuesday Night Game Night' as Winn had dubbed it. He enjoyed naming things, and Kara wasn't about to ruin his fun.

"I'm heading over to Earth-1 for a little while. I won't be gone for long, I'll bring you back a souvenir, I promise! See you soon <3" - 10:03 PM

[Lena Luthor] "Be safe, Kara, I expect something unique. I'll cover for you at CatCo. Lucky I'm your boss" - 10:03 PM

Kara smiled down at her phone and sent the same message to Sam, with minor alterations, but was met with no response. She frowned but assumed Sam was busy taking care of Ruby. They were probably watching a movie together, seeing as it was Friday. That was their designated time together, and Kara found it endearing. She stuffed her phone in her pocket and looked at Alex with a soft smile.

"Call me if you need me, I'd love to experience a different Earth." Alex chuckled and leant forward to give her sister a warm hug. Kara returned it happily and kissed Alex's cheek, stepping back towards the portal. She could feel the air in the room being sucked into the portal ever so slightly, like a cool breeze coming in through the open window.

"See 'ya later, Alex! I'll miss you!" And with that, Kara jumped into the breach. It snapped shut behind her, and Alex was left all alone inside Kara's apartment. She slumped into Kara's couch and decided she could use Kara's Netflix for the time being. It wasn't like Kara was going to be around to complain. She went to the start of the Originals and pressed play, deciding a binge-watching marathon was a perfectly acceptable way to spend a Friday evening.

~~~

Back at the Fortress of Sanctuary, Reign slipped on her mask, feeling the extra-terrestrial metal against her skin. It fit her face perfectly, guarding her true identity. Not even Supergirl was smart enough to piece it together, and the Worldkiller wasn't planning on being found out. Even her secret identity didn't know Reign was a part of her.

But something was off, Reign could sense something was wrong. She went to ask the shipboard artificial intelligence but heard a loud surge of electricity. She snapped her focus behind her to find a man in yellow, eyes glowing red with electricity. His entire form was distorted with vibrations and he crossed his arms, a lightning bolt across his chest on a black emblem with red outer ring. He didn't seem even concerned to be facing down against a threat even the Girl of Steel couldn't defeat. He was either foolish, or brave. Perhaps both. She recognised his abilities immediately, Kryptonians kept record of Speedsters. Reign could spot one a mile away.

"What do you want, Speedster?" Reigns voice was distorted, glaring at the Speedster behind her caged mask.

"An alliance. I want my Flash and your Supergirl dead. Who better to help me then Reign, the Worldkiller?" Eobard's voice appeared seemingly inhuman as a result of his vibrating vocal cords. At the sound of his request, Reigns lips curled into a sadistic smile. Perhaps she could finally enact justice on not just one Earth, but two.


	2. Green And Blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back for Chapter Two, Green and Blue! Hey, that rhymes, I just realised that as I'm writing. Now I'm rambling, help. Back on track! Glad to see people were taking kindly to the Prologue, and I've appreciated all the comments people have left, (seriously, I live for those! Don't be afraid to pop down below and say hello! Again, that rhymes. I'm on a roll!) Anywho, I hope you all enjoy Green and Blue!

To say things weren't going as planned for Oliver Queen was the winner of the 'Understatement of the Year' award. After losing Samantha to Chase's sick and twisted games, Oliver had been thrust into a position of taking care of William. But even after all of Star City's wounds (inflicted by Prometheus) were finally starting to heal, Cayden James sought to level Star City in an act of vengeance for Oliver's actions. Somehow, Cayden James lost his son as a result of Oliver's actions as the Arrow. Having used Black Siren to bug the Arrow Cave, Oliver found his team split right down the middle, Dinah, Rene, and Curtis on one side, Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity on the other. He'd kicked Rene off the team for good reason, but Dinah and Curtis left of their own volition. He wasn't about to stop them. Diggle had argued that nothing had happened that couldn't be undone, but Oliver made his point very clear.  
You don't go into the field with people you can't rely on.

Sitting in his office, Oliver was busy filling out paperwork for a charity the major office was sponsoring. In the wake of the 'Anti-Vigilante Legislation', Oliver was losing popularity. No one wanted to support a major accused of being the Green Arrow, CIA Agent Watson was hot in his heels, desperate to prove — once and for all — that Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow. Losing this office would be a massive blow to Team Arrow's operations and Oliver wasn't going to lie down and take it. As the oak-wood doors to his office swung open, Oliver clenched his fist underneath the desk. He'd made it clear to Lance that Oliver wasn't taking any visitors; both scheduled or unannounced. He looked up to politely inform the visitor — who'd slipped past security somehow —that they weren't currently welcome and invite them to schedule a meeting with Lance downstairs. As he looked up, Oliver was shocked, but didn't allow a muscle to twitch. In the middle of his office stood the one man that'd alluded him and Felicity for months, Cayden James.

"I'm not accepting visitors, Mr. James." Oliver kept his tone neutral, as if Cayden James were some amateur reporter. He looked up with a slight tilt of his head as Cayden typed away at a tablet within his grasp. It was his deadliest weapon, and Oliver was somewhat concerned. After murdering Bertinelli last week, Cayden had gone radio silent. Felicity had been desperately searching for him, but Cayden was always one step ahead.  
"If you'd like to discuss a matter with me, leave it with Mr. Lance down stairs." He stood up, buttoning up his blazer with a polite and formal smile. He gestured kindly to the doors Cayden had entered from with a single nod, finding a sudden anger rise in him when Cayden shook his head, smiling at Oliver in a sick and twisted manner.

"I assure you, Mr. Queen. It is an urgent matter." Cayden spoke with an eerie calmness, matching Oliver's formalities. Chase would be trying to wind Oliver up and taunt him, placing a knife on his desk and taunting Oliver to slice his throat in broad daylight, in the middle of the mayor's office. It would have a foolish move, but Oliver knew everything that happened afterwards could have been avoided. Maybe Samantha would still be alive, and it made Oliver's blood boil. She was innocent, not part of Oliver's crusade in any way, shape, or form. He'd always blame himself for her death, and Diggle and Felicity couldn't do anything about it. At least Cayden James wasn't being an asshole.

"Then leave it urgently." Oliver raised his chin, Cayden matched his pose. Despite their severe difference in physical prowess, Cayden wasn't afraid of Oliver by any means. He had an impressive intellect and Oliver was no match for it. If Cayden were to die, Oliver would probably find the entirety of Star City going up in flames, or get a call delivering the unfortunate news that William had met a gruesome fate. Cayden had no reason to be afraid, but Oliver did. Cayden James was the type of man to play chess, and Oliver much preferred darts. 

Sliding his tablet across the desk, Oliver picked it up. He felt his blood run cold at the display, an entire room filled with people strapped to flimsy wooden chairs, wires attached to their ankles that lead directly to a bomb with '15:04' in red letters on display. Every second that passed by, the number on the bomb lowered, eventually reaching '14:49' before Oliver slammed his hand down on his desk, shaking the entire piece of furniture ruthlessly. He handed Cayden back the tablet and stared directly into his eyes, his own filling with pure hatred.

"These are innocent people." Despite his unbridled anger, Oliver kept his tone level. Oliver had enough time to reach the location of the bomb before it detonated, and free the hostages. He just needed to get Cayden out of his office. Luckily, Cayden took a few steps back and offered a polite smile, adjusting his thin framed glasses on his nose. He looked back at Oliver and offered a single, frustratingly absent nod.

"And you can save them." Slipping out of Oliver's office, Cayden closed the doors behind him. They clicked shut and Oliver scrambled for his phone, texting Diggle the address with two words, 'Go, Spartan' in a following text. He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and went to move around his desk before — exactly where Cayden was standing not a minute earlier — a breach appeared out of nowhere. A few seconds of staring in awe, unsure of what to do, and Oliver was about to file it under the category or 'deal with later' until a familiar face dropped out of the breach and into his office, looking around as if they had no idea where they were in the universe.

Kara Danvers, Supergirl.

Kara knew she wasn't inside Star Labs, unless Cisco had decided to redecorate in favour of a more retro style. She quickly shook off the confusion flooding her mind. She looked up with a grin to see Oliver standing there, eyes like a deer in the headlights. He seemed unable to comprehend what had just happened but without saying a word, slipped past her. She frowned and reached out to grab him, if Kara was going to figure out where Barry was, Oliver was her best bet. As she reached for him, Oliver continued to walk.

"Not now, Kara! Please, there are people's lives as stake-" Oliver growled and Kara frowned, rubbing her heel against the wooden panels of the floor. She went to offer her help but was silenced by Oliver's phone ringing, he grabbed at the device and his expression softened when it read 'William'. Answering the call, Oliver smiled as if nothing was wrong.  
"Hey, buddy, can I call you-" He was cut off by the sounds of explosions and multiple children screaming incoherently in the background, and Oliver's blood ran cold.

"D-Dad... I need..." There was severe static, and Williams voice was barely comprehensible. "help... there's... don't know if... Dad..." The call disconnected and Oliver nearly tossed his phone judging by the intense way his muscles locked in place, as if he were ready to pounce. He looked up at Kara with pleading eyes, and Kara couldn't help but melt under that gaze. That of a father, desperate to save his son. It reminded her of the way Alex would look when Kara was in danger. It was heartbreaking to say the least, and Kara was not about to let Oliver down. 

"Kara, I need you to help Diggle get the hostages out. Take this," He tossed his phone to her, Kara catching it, looking at the address Oliver had texted Diggle. She could tell just by the look on Oliver's face that he was mortified, and Kara knew Oliver didn't scare easily. And that was without the heartbreaking trembling in his voice.  
"Call me when they're out, I'm going after my son. I don't know why you're here, Kara. I just... I need your help." It was rare for Oliver to admit he needed help, and Kara would have felt honoured if the circumstances weren't dire. She took a step forward and placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder, feeling him flinch but not pull away. A massive improvement from their first meeting where Oliver decided to bench her to make himself feel more comfortable. Safe to say, Olive was a bit of a control freak.

"It's okay, Oliver. I'll go with Diggle and get those hostages home to their families. Focus on William." Kara took a step back and flew out of Oliver's open window and into the sky, Oliver found a sense of relief wash over him. He had Diggle and Kara working on saving the hostages, and he had ample time to save William himself. Whatever Cayden James was planning, Oliver knew he didn't account for one important variable, Kara Zor-El.

~~~

Arriving where Williams phone had been located, Oliver wasn't surprised to find it wasn't going to be an easy task to accomplish. On the route from Williams school, their bus travelled into one of Star City's many lengthy tunnels. It was packed with peak hour traffic, and traffic was completely halted. On the way there, Felicity had informed Oliver that multiple counts of electronic failure were prevalent across Star City. Multiple accounts of cars, cranes, and elevators — to name a few — killing people were starting to rise, and it didn't take a twelfth level intellect to piece it together. Cayden James had attacked Williams bus and put everyone in the bus, as well as the vehicles in the tunnel at risk. People screamed as they ran out of the tunnel, scattering aimlessly in fear of their lives. 

Feeling a rush of adrenaline, Oliver sprinted into the tunnel, ignoring the many confused glances his way. It wasn't often the Green Arrow revealed himself in broad daylight, nor in such a public setting. Especially seeing as the Green Arrow was labelled a criminal by the SCPD and FBI. Before he could get far into the tunnel, gunfire rang out and Oliver barely had time to roll over the bonnet of the nearest SUV and crouch behind it, using the black plated metal as cover from wherever the gunfire was coming from. Cutting through the screams of the civilians, Oliver could hear the assailant reloading their primary firearm. He popped up over the top of the car and fired three arrows within three seconds, causing the assailant to garner some cover of their own and even the playing field.

"In a hurry, Mr. Mayor?" Vigilante growled, rising slightly and unloading a clip into the SUV, causing Oliver to cower. Once the clip was empty, Oliver returned fire with a few arrows, none of them making their mark. He pulled a special one from his quiver and pressed a button on the shaft, hearing it beep to life. He popped up over cover once more and fired, hearing it land and embed itself in the metal with a satisfying shredding of metal and thud when its propulsion could take it no further.  
"Nice aim." Vigilante taunted and emerging from his cover once again, but Oliver knew it was too late. Before Vigilante could open fire, the arrow detonated, causing an explosion that sent Vigilante flying back, and the car he was hiding behind to bounce into the air. Almost immediately after, the gas tank detonated, as part of a chain explosion, slowly travelling down the tunnel.  
There wasn't an awful lot of time to find William and as much as Oliver wanted to catch Vigilante, the Green Arrow had other business to attend to. 

Taking off in a sprint, Oliver could easily outrun the series of explosions eruption from the cars in the opposite lane. He could see Williams bus in the distance. His heart skipped a beat as William furiously banged on the glass of the back of the bus, in a futile attempt to break free, and perhaps save his classmates. He launched himself up onto a car and leapt from vehicle to vehicle, frantically trying to reach William and outpace the explosion rippling behind him. He noticed Williams face appear shocked as Oliver approach, clad in his Green Arrow attire with hood bouncing as he leapt across the roof of the vehicles beneath him.

Arriving as the bus, Oliver examined the situation. Obviously their main door was out of commission, perhaps locked in place due to Cayden James or damaged in an explosion. Their emergency exit was seemingly jammed as well, and William didn't have a lot of options. No one on the bus would have any equipment adequate to freeing themselves from their current predicament. It's not like a pen or and iPad would be much use in ripping down the walls of a school bus.

"Back up! Take cover!" Oliver knew his words weren't going to be heard but William was excellent at reading lips. After shouting the phrase twice more, William began to order everyone away from the back of the bus, and to take cover behind their seats. Most of the children were excited to be rescued by the Green Arrow, and happily obeyed Oliver's commands being relayed by William. He grabbed an arrow from his quiver and fired at the school bus, letting it sink into the metal and detonate. It had absolutely no effect, and Oliver knew why. He'd recently ordered school buses be equipped with sturdier material after criminals like Vigilante and Ricardo Diaz started crawling out of their holes. Now it was coming to bite Oliver on the ass, and William was one of many who were going to suffer for it.

Out of options, and out of time, Oliver ran to the bus and placed his hand against the glass, beckoning William forward. He ran forward and placed his hand on the glass where Oliver's was. If William was going to die, Oliver was going to make sure he knew he was loved, always and forever. On the other side of the door, William looked mortified but kept his hand there. Oliver could hear the explosions getting closer by the second, but just as they were too close for comfort, Oliver heard a loud gust of wind and what sounded like a blizzard behind him. William pointed and Oliver turned to see Kara floating in the tunnel, creating a massive wall of ice to stop the explosions from the cars reaching any further.

"Move, Green Arrow, I've got this!" Kara barked and Oliver stepped back, letting Kara do her thing. She dug her fingers into the metal of the door and ripped it clean off, like someone would lift a piece of balsa wood off a shelf. She tossed the door aside and stepped inside the bus, smiling at the children who were mesmerised by her powers, especially William who couldn't help but stare in awe.

"We're gonna get you out of here, I promise. Follow the Green Arrow, I'll be right behind you." Kara spoke calmly but none of the children moved, perhaps petrified in fear of the events that'd transpired. "Go, now! I'm right behind you!" She raised her voice as they all scrambled out of the bus, following Oliver in a jog down the remainder of the tunnel. She flew right behind them as promised and reinforced her ice barrier along the way, hearing as the explosions crawled to a halt upon reaching the ice barrier.

Reaching the outside of the tunnel, Oliver could hear police sirens in the distance. He knew he had to make a quick escape but couldn't — in good conscience — leave William behind. He looked at Kara once all the children were out of the tunnel and offered her a single nod, cocking his head towards William. She understood his request and ran over to William, smiling at him sweetly. He looked up at her and looked over at Oliver, seeking approval. He nodded in response to William and took off to escape the SCPD before they opened fire on him, Mayor Queen's orders.  
Once Oliver was out of sight and the police were just out of line of sight, Kara scooped up William in her arms and flew off, looking back to see the SCPD taking care of all the escaped children. He didn't fight Kara at all, William felt safe in Kara's arms and she knew exactly why. Of course, the youngest Queen would find Kara attractive. She chuckled to herself and flew where Oliver would want her to take him, the Arrow Cave.

~~~

It was Kara's first time inside the Arrow Cave, and the Kryptonian could barely contain her excitement. Currently, Kara needed to maintain a professional demeanour for Williams sake, but it was hard to keep her jaw from slamming into the ground as the elevator doors slide apart, and Kara got her first look inside Oliver Queen's base of operations. She walked inside to see Felicity typing away at her keyboard, furiously attentive to whatever task was currently in her path. She looked around to spot Oliver but he wasn't within line of sight. Before she used her x-ray vision to scan the Arrow Cave for Oliver's whereabouts, William ripped himself from her grasp and sprinted across the floor, straight into Oliver's arms at a speed that would make Barry jealous.

"Hey, buddy!" Oliver's face lit up with an adoring smile as William hugged his waist. He placed his hand on Williams shoulder and squeezed gently. It warmed Kara's heart to see Oliver as such a big softy. He usually spent most of his time either brooding or putting arrows in people, but Oliver had a soft spot when it came to family. It was nice to see no matter how much darkness the Green Arrow had suffered, Oliver still had some humanity left inside of him.

"I'm so glad you're okay. Are you hurt? I- I didn't get a chance to ask." He frantically asked.  William merely shook his head, pointing to Kara with a dopey grin which caused her to blush lightly. Kara ambled over towards the pair with a smile of her own, looking up at Oliver and seeing the glint of gratitude twinkling behind his eyes. They'd come a long way from Oliver casting her aside out of selfish need.

"It was nothing, Ollie. Diggle and I had freed the hostages and Felicity told me I should help you get William to safety," Kara looked over at Felicity with a soft smile. "You'd do the same for me." Kara was always modest as Supergirl, knowing being National City's hero meant being a role model to all. She looked down at William and winked at him, giggling to herself. Oliver extended his hand and Kara took it, shaking his hand with enough force for Oliver to consider it firm.

"Thank you, Kara, I don't know what I'd have done without you today."

"You'd have thought of something. Oliver Queen doesn't give up, and neither does William it seems."

"What brings you to Earth-1's Star City? I assume it wasn't a social call." Oliver asked and Kara frowned, reality setting back in. She sighed gently and composed herself. She knew Oliver wasn't going to chastise her for being worried, especially after saving his son, but Kara was socially anxious nonetheless. She settled for an awkward, uncomfortable laugh and Oliver titled his head, waiting for Kara to get a hold of herself and actually explain the reason for her visit to Earth-1.

"I'm here for Barry, I- I'm worried about him. He hasn't been answering my texts, and I- I want to make sure he's okay, you know? I mean, I am his girlfriend, I should be there to help him if he needs me! I just wish he'd actually ask... Rao, I'm sorry, I'm rambling," She cleared her throat and flicked her hair back. "Which way is Central City? I was supposed to land there but Cisco's device must've malfunctioned, or I did it wrong. Either way, I was supposed to end up in Star Labs." Oliver pointed in a direction and Kara smiled brightly at him, nodding eagerly.

"Give Barry my best. If he needs me, I'm just a call away." Oliver put an arm around William and nodded to Kara who returned it happily. She walked off towards the elevator but turned back at the last moment to smile at the Queen's brightly. She wished she could work with Oliver a lot more but so many circumstances prevented it. Still, Kara found it pleasant to work with someone who wasn't arrogant, self-centred, or brash. Working with Oliver was a treat, and a breath of fresh air.

"Stay safe, William!" 

"You too, Ms. Kara." William replied and Kara giggled, skipping into the elevator gleefully and pressing a button on the control panel. The doors shut and the elevator began to rise swiftly. Once Kara was out of sight, Oliver looked down at William who had something on the tip of his tongue. William looked up at Oliver with a mesmerised smile. Oliver knew exactly what was coming and stifled a playful roll of his eyes.  
"She's pretty, I like her." He mumbled under his breath and Oliver laughed softly, tugging him away gently.

"Come on, it's time I show you around, buddy."


	3. Face The Music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom, back for Chapter 3, Face The Music! This is where the plot really kicks off, and I hope you all enjoy!

It had been a ridiculously long day for the Scarlet Speedster. Of course, running around the city at superhuman speeds would be tiring on a good day, but Barry was about to collapse under his own weight. It was absurdly far into the night, far enough that even Oliver would perhaps scold Barry on his sleeping habits.  
But the Scarlet Speedster wasn't torturing himself for no apparent reason.  
Grabbing his jacket, Barry tossed it onto the couch and collapsed beside it, an audible groan escaping his lips violently. He ran a hand over his tired eyes, and the rest of his face. Another day, another meta-human causing problems in Central City. Sometimes Barry wished he could actually make an example of one of them, but that wasn't in his blood. He wasn't a killer, and if Thawne didn't deserve to die, no one did. But some days it would be easier to just kill them all, and prevent them from harming anyone else, but Barry was better than that. He had to be better than the bad guys.

A sudden knock on the door startled Barry out of his falling into a deep sleep. At first he considered ignoring it entirely because if it were Cisco or Caitlin they'd obviously text Barry ahead of time. Seeing as whoever was knocking clearly wasn't holding anything important to say, Barry took his sweet time to stumble back towards the door, the muscles in his legs aching. A good night sleep, and his healing factor would fix that right up by morning but for now, Barry just wanted to curl up in bed and spend the rest of the night watching Netflix until he fell asleep out of nothing but pure exhaustion.

As Barry opened the door — it's creaking nearly deafening due to the building being warped by the cold — the Scarlet Speedster was beyond shocked to see no one else but Kara Danvers standing in the doorway, he face lighting up like a Christmas Tree at the sight of Barry, despite his appalling state. Shaving had escaped his mind and as such, Barry was rocking a shaggy beard, and his hair was a lot longer and less well kept. He looked awful, but Kara didn't seem to mind. She grabbed him by the collar and into a kiss, the two of them instantly losing themselves in the embrace they'd yearned for for months. Long distance relationships weren't all they were cracked up to be but they could still work, and Barry and Kara had tried their hardest. At least until Barry practically ghosted her, and worried Kara sick. That was probably not one of the things and long-distance boyfriend should do, but Barry never made good decisions when he was stressed.

But none of that matter. Kara was still a little worried, but the fact that Barry seemed so energetic upon seeing her made the Kryptonian smile into the kiss, deepening it slowly. After a few more seconds, Kara and Barry both decided it was time to break the kiss, despite the whine escaping Kara's lips as Barry's warmth left her. 

"Kara! I uh, I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. But I'm so glad I did... I just... What are you doing here?" Barry was thoroughly confused but not at all annoyed by her presence. Too be honest, Barry could use the comfort. It'd been a rough few weeks, and Barry had pushed away pretty much everyone else besides Team Flash. His eyes went wide as moons and rubbed them swiftly afterwards, realisation hitting him like a ton of bricks all at once. How could Barry have been so stupid? He knew exactly why Kara was there. Barry's pushing everyone away had worried the poor woman half to death.

"Oh my God, Kara... I'm so sorry, I... You don't need to explain why you're here, I already... Yeah I know, I know." He sighed in defeat and stepped away from the door, Kara merely chuckled sheepishly and stepped into the apartment, pushing her glasses further up her nose.

"I don't think I've ever been here, it's a really nice apartment." Kara smiled genuinely, slipping her glasses off her nose and putting them down her cardigan. She was (of course) trying to make small talk, but she meant the words.  
It was a wonderful apartment, and the entire place smelt like Barry. She took a deep breath in and let a wide smile appear on her face. She wanted to cuddle up into the blankets on his couch and just sleep, but first they had an awkward conversation to have.  Kara knew communication was one of the foundations of a healthy relationships.

"It's just so... you." Kara smiled even brighter, and Barry chuckled nervously. He probably thought Kara was about to break up with him. She walked up to him and cupped his cheek, kissing the other softly. "Something's bothering you, Barry. Come on, let's talk about it. Gosh, maybe I can help you fix it." Her words were genuine and it made Barry visibly relax. 

Barry slumped into the couch with a sigh, running a hand down his face with a groan. Kara sat beside him and placed a hand on his knee, leaning to rest her tired head on his shoulder. She snuggled up to his side with a content sigh, both her arms wrapped firmly around Barry's right bicep. He chuckled softly and placed a kiss atop her head, causing a giggle to emit from the exhausted Kryptonian.  
He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the couch, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It was the first time he'd smiled in nearly a week, and Barry felt a sense of relief wash over him. God it felt good to smile in a time of crisis.

"I've missed you, Kara."

"I've missed you too, Barry."

"Okay... I owe you an explanation, don't I?" Kara merely hummed in response, curling her legs up on the couch lazily. Barry chuckled again before composing himself. 

One awkward conversation, it was like ripping off a band-aid, a very large band-aid but nonetheless, a band-aid. 

He looked down at Kara snuggled up to his side and began to speak.  
"Iris is missing, and we've been looking endlessly to find her." Barry began, and Kara's heart sunk. She immediately looked up at him with worry in her eyes, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, Rao, Barry, I'm so sorry. I- What happened? Do you have any idea who took her?" Kara asked gently, caressing his shoulder with her thumb absentmindedly. He shook his head slowly and looked away, clearly trying to keep himself composed. He was a lot like Lena in certain areas, and some of them didn't exactly make Kara happy, but everyone had their flaws.

"And that's why you stopped responding to me. You were busy worrying if Iris was alive or not," Kara said and looked down, removing her hand from his shoulder and running it through her hair. "Rao, I feel like such an idiot. Here I am, barging into your home, selfishly thinking about nothing except me and here you are, worrying about your missing friend." She frowned and looked away, ashamed of herself for her actions.

Barry shook his head and took Kara's cheeks in his palms, gently forcing her to look up at Barry who was smiling proudly at her. She gave him a confused stare. Why was he smiling? Shouldn't he be annoyed at her? She raised a brow and lowered her lips, even further surprised when Barry leaned forward to kiss her nose and cause her to giggle and squirm in his grasp. Her expression softened and she leaned into his hands comfortably, closing her eyes as he caressed her cheeks. God Barry was cute when he was all hands on. He peppered her face with kisses as she giggled and squirmed, whining desperately for Barry to cease. But there was no such luck, Barry had missed Kara and this was making up for lost time.

"I would never be ashamed of you, Kara. You're an amazing person, and you travelled across the multiverse to check up on me. I'm the one who's sorry, I completely shut you out and that was the wrong thing to do, I see that now. I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Barry's mood fell only a little bit, and Kara smiled softly at him, placing a firmer kiss to his lips a few seconds later. Barry got the messages loud and clear and smiled brightly, tilting his head.  
"What happens now? I mean... are you going back to Earth-38, or?" Barry asked and Kara shook her head, leaping up off the couch and putting her glasses back on. Hands on her hips, chin up, ready for action.

"First off, you need a shave, you're all scruffy," She held up one finger. "Second, you need a shower," She held up a second finger, and Barry sniffed his shirt. "Third, you need a good night's sleep," She held up a third finger. "Fourth, you and I are gonna march into S.T.A.R. Labs tomorrow and I'm not resting until we find Iris and bring her home to her family. Got it?" She held up her fourth finger, standing proud in front of the coffee table. She looked down at him with a grin, and Barry's face lit up. Kara could always shine a beacon of light into the darkest of times, and this was no exception.

"Got it." Barry leapt up and dashed into the bathroom, leaving a gust of wind in his wake that messed up Kara's hair immensely. She sighed and rolled her eyes, fixing her hair with one hand as she reached for her phone with the other, unlocking it with a swipe of her thumb and the swift entering of her passcode.

"Thanks, Kara!" Barry yelled from the bathroom, and Kara merely smiled, rolling her eyes fondly at Barry's antics.

"You're welcome!" Kara loudly chirped, finding her desired contact. She pressed the button and put the phone to her ear, listening to it ring for what felt like an eternity. If not for Cisco's skills with tech, the roaming charges would bankrupt her, and the D.E.O. in a matter of seconds. When the other person picked up, Kara nearly jumped for joy.

"Alex! Oh, Rao. I've had the most exciting day! I saw Oliver Queen again, I saved his son, William, I think he has a crush on me. Oh! And I saw Barry, things aren't... good, but they'll get better. But I need your help! There's a missing person, Barry's... ex-fiancé. Cisco and Caitlin can't find her, neither can Barry, could you, you know, pop over to this universe and see what you can do?"

"Kara. You're going to be the death of me."

"Oh Rao I love you so much! Okay, I'll see you soon, I'll text you the coordinates! You're the best sister ever!" Before Alex had a chance to say no, Kara hung up the phone and texted Alex the coordinates of Central City, correcting her mistake of ending up in Star City. She heard Barry zipping around in the bathroom and collapsed into the couch, curling up and switching on the television. She grabbed one of the blankets and snuggled up into it. It smelt like Barry, and Kara didn't want to let it go. She was old fashioned like that, Alex always got that way with Maggie, while they were still together of course.

~~~

 

Everyone else had gone home, having dealt with the loss of yet another friend. For some it was all too much to bare, others it was their first time losing a friend in the line of duty, for a lucky few it that in between. Unfortunately for Barry, it was the former. He stood over the grave stone beneath him, the etched in markings on the front were filling with water, and the entire stone was a deeper shade of grey then what it was at the start of the service. Of course that was but a few hours ago, and a storm had settled in half way through, soaking everyone to their core and setting the mood. It'd been half an hour since the service had ended, and most, if not everyone had gone home to contemplate and come to terms with their loss. Suffice to say some were handling it better than others.

Kneeling down to the gravestone, Barry could feel a fresh set of tears on their way. He suppressed them as he ran his fingers down the stone, feeling the etchings pass by, letter by letter. Every single letter brought a fresh, scolding hot wave of pain. Despite the fact it was freezing cold, and the rain soaked his pristine black suit through and through, Barry was sweating. Thoughts of vengeance rose up, driving his hand through the chest of those responsible for his loss came to mind. Another was stringing them up and inflicting a pain equal if not superior to that Barry currently held deep in his heart. But that wasn't Barry; Barry Allen doesn't kill. His morals weren't at the forefront of his mind, and he could feel the lightning surging through his veins, and was about to take off to make a mistake he'd live to regret, if not for a strong voice cutting through the sound of the downpour from above. He turned around to see black hair and stubble, soaked through and through standing only a few feet away from him.

"Come on, Barry, it's time to go home." Oliver smiled softly, although his tone left no room for argument. He knew grief better than most, and had learned to conquer it. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt to lose someone he called a friend. He put her hand on Barry's shoulder and squeezed gently. He hesitantly took a step away from the gravestone, despite the urge to run to it and scream until his voice blew out.  
He wrapped an arm around him, half out of comfort, half out of understanding Barry was ready to run at a moment's notice. Once he was gone, not even Wally would be fast enough to keep up with him. And knowing Barry, the Scarlet Speedster would come to regret his decision made in his grief-stricken rage.

"I'm so sorry, Barry." Oliver whispered, being as comforting as possible. He offered a smile out of pure respect to him, not a true sense of happiness. Guiding him back to the black limo Oliver had hired out in an attempt to show his respects for the Danvers family, Oliver sat beside Barry and stared at him, sympathy glimmering behind his eyes. They were both in a tremendously deep amount of pain.

"You okay?"

"No, are you?"

"No."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	4. The Search Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Man, I'm glad you guys are getting into this! I was nervous that you guys wouldn't take to this as kindly as you took to Heroes Join Forces, but I'm pleasantly surprised. All these comments are giving me life, and I've had a few really sweet ones. I try to reply to all comments I get, so please, come down, say hi. Oh, and I hope you're all scratching your heads asking 'who's in the grave?' well, you've gotta stick around to find out. Without further ado, I present to you, The Search Pt. 1.

Barry had taken Iris's disappearance much harder than the rest of Team Flash. He'd been having trouble sleeping, and Rao did it show, physical manifestations of his exhaustion were prevalent across his face. But after Barry cleaned himself up and gotten a decent night sleep — in the arms of one blonde Kryptonian — the Scarlet Speedster was looking rather refreshed, and ready to take on the world. Even getting up earlier then required, switching off his alarm so as to not wake Kara up.

Kara was initially hesitant to wake up and find Barry's side of the bed vacant, but the narrowing in of her hearing revealed that Barry was singing to himself as he cooked their breakfast. He muttered something about pancakes, sausages, and coffee, and Kara smiled to herself, snuggling back into Barry's covers. They smelled like him, a lot more than the covers did, and Kara was rather content to remain here for the rest of eternity.   
As she lay there, Kara could hear a playlist of music coming through the speakers, muffled by the walls between rooms. It included George Michael, Bonnie Tyler, and Lady Gaga. Currently, Poker Face was blasting and Barry was full on singing along. He wasn't doing badly by anyone's standards, but by Rao was that not his song.

After another few — rather comfortable — minutes, Kara managed to pull herself out of bed with a smile on her face. She out stretched her arms in a yawn and looked at the clock on their bedside table. It read 09:31, the latest Kara had slept since as long as she could remember. As much as Alex hated it, Kara was very clearly a morning person. She didn't want to waste half the day laying in bed, and lately either CatCo needed an article, or someone in National City needed saving. 

She heard her phone buzz, and grabbed the device gingerly. Flipping it open, Kara saw a text from Alex, and giggled quietly to herself. She swiftly sent off a reply and put it back down on the bedside table, swinging her legs out of bed and deciding to take a look inside the closet for some kind of dressing gown, or one of Barry's t-shirts. Either one would suffice.

Alex Danvers - "Ugh, what time is it? I'm lucky I packed last night, else you'd be on your own." ~ 9:31 AM.

"Don't be a baby! We'll be heading into S.T.A.R. Labs soon enough, and I'll get Cisco to breach you here. Love you!" ~ 9:32 AM.

Alex Danvers - "Why do you do this to me?" ~ 9:32 AM.

Upon retrieving a comfy looking dressing gown, recently washed judging by the softness of the material, Kara threw it over herself and tied the rope around her waist. There wasn't much point in teasing Barry with her sleep shorts, otherwise they'd be there all morning. Kara blushed at the thought but suppressed her less then pure thoughts and wandered out into the living room, giggling as Barry was zipping around the kitchen making them both breakfast. It was as though a switch had gone off in his brain, Barry looked so much healthier. Last night he looked like the entire weight of the world was on his shoulders, and while he didn't look entirely comfortable, he didn't look like he was being crushed. It was a good start, and Kara couldn't help but smile. No one could resist her charm, not Lena, not Alex, and not Barry.

"Morning, hotshot." Kara spoke up, catching Barry's attention instantly. He zipped across the room to kiss her so fast Kara couldn't have been able to feel it if not for the powers Kryptonians inherited from the yellow sun. He went back to cooking, and practicing for his audition on America's Got Talent.   
"You're in a better mood, Rao I don't think I'd be seeing you smiling for days." Kara admitted with a shrug, sitting down at the dinner table and flicking through today's newspaper, catching up on the news of Earth-1, and the adventures of Central City's Scarlet Speedster, the Flash.   
Entire pages were dedicated to him, it wasn't unlike how The Daily Planet and CatCo portrayed Superman and Supergirl respectively.

"What can I say? Your smile is infectious." Barry looked up with a smirk and a wink, looking back at the stove. Images of Barry posing with excited fans were scattered all throughout, and there was one of Barry posing with an entire squad of cheerleaders. She felt a quick strike of jealousy but shook it off. She'd posed with football teams before, and it meant nothing. Why would that be different from Barry? She found a photo two pages later that was or Barry with a cat he'd recovered from a tree with a massive grin on his face. Kara ran a few fingers over the image and smiled softly. He was a true hero, and that was partially the reason Kara fell so madly in love with him.

Kara was startled out of her thoughts by Barry dropping a plate in front of her of well-prepared breakfast. A few pancakes with chocolate chips scattered over the top, and a pair of sausages on the side. It looked wonderful, and it smelt even better. She took a sip of the orange juice Barry had also put in front of her and grabbed her knife and fork and took a small chunk of pancakes, rather enjoying the taste. She'd never tell him, but they had absolutely nothing on Alex's pancakes. Which had nothing on Eliza's pancakes. The Danvers family all loved pancakes, more then they cared to admit to anyone besides each other.

"I had no idea you could cook, Barry! This is amazing!" Kara exclaimed as she further dug into her delicious meal. Barry sat down opposite her and picked at his own, usually being respectful enough to match the pace of whoever was the guest. But Kara was devouring her food — savouring it a foreign concept to the Kryptonian — and Barry was a fast eater on a slow day.

"Joe taught me a lot of recipes when I was growing up. Typically not fancy cuisine but enough to feed myself and whoever I found myself living with." Barry caught himself at the implication of his words and choked briefly on his drink. Kara merely blushed and averted her gaze. They both sat in an awkward silence, unsure of what to say.

"I didn't mean that... if you want to live... That's totally okay if you... Oh, God, I sound like Felicity." Barry started chuckling and Kara reached her hand across the table and took his hand in hers.

"I have duties back on my Earth, Barry," Kara sighed briefly, adjusting her glasses. Barry frowned, but Kara continued. "But if you'll have me when I'm visiting, I'd love to stay here. Rao, I could even pay rent, the D.E.O. are rather generous with their salary." Kara smiled as Barry's face lit up at the prospect.  
"I love you, Barry, and I'd be honoured to make a mess of this apartment every day." She smiled deeply, and Barry nodded happily. She felt Barry squeezing her hand and it put butterflies in her stomach.

"I love you too, Kara. And I'd be similarly be honoured for you to make a mess of my- Hey! No! I didn't make a mess of your apartment!" Barry protested with a pout, and Kara merely laughed, narrowing her eyes as she planned her counter arguments carefully. Barry was sometimes so full of it, and that was one of those times.

"Oh, really? Is that why I found a whole bunch of chip packets left lying around," Kara held up a closed fist, and raised a finger to every example. "Under the couch, under the bed, in the cupboard, Barry I found one in the sink!" She stuck out her tongue as he sunk back in his chair in defeat. She laughed happily and finished off her breakfast, putting her knife and fork on the plate as she reached for her orange juice and finished the glass off moments later. She could go for another round, but Barry didn't have infinite money like the D.E.O. did. A CSI's salary may have been generous, but not enough to support a well fed Kryptonian.

Before their friendly flirting could continue, Barry's voice buzzed. He politely excused himself and put the phone to his ear, walking away from the table in some privacy. Kara was curious but she didn't listen in, that was an invasion of privacy. She grabbed the plates and glasses, taking them to the kitchen and rinsing them in the sink. Just as she turned off the water, Barry walked back into the living room with his phone in his pocket.

"That was Cisco, we need to get to S.T.A.R. Labs. Do you have your-" Before Barry could even finish, Kara zipped into the bedroom and swapped her pyjamas for her Supergirl attire and zipped back into the living room with her hands on her hips, with a huge grin plastered on her face. Barry smiled fondly with a chuckle and zipped into the bedroom, changing into his Flash attire seconds later. He zipped back out and cracked his necks.  
"How about a race? First one to S.T.A.R. Labs wins." Barry grinned with a confident look in his eye.

"You're on Flash," Kara smirked. "Don't worry, I won't say I told you so when I kick your ass."

"Gotta run."

"Up, up, and away."

~~~

By the time Kara got to S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry had already taken a seat, kicked his feet up, and tipped his head back in victory. She walked into the Cortex to see her boyfriend looking rather smug in the wake of his victory, offering her a playful grin. She stuck her tongue out at him and turned her attention towards the rest of Team Flash who had no idea Kara was showing up for work today. Or even that she was on this Earth for that matter.   
She loudly cleared her throat and jabbed Barry in the side, prompting him to grunt and realise he'd failed to give Team Flash a heads up that a certain blonde Kryptonian was visiting for the foreseeable future. Caitlin was the first to walk up and greet Kara, wrapping her arms around the alien in a warm hug, with a smile on her face.

"Always good to have you around, Kara. Nice to see you again." Caitlin smiled.

"Thank God you're here, Kara, Barry wouldn't shut the hell up about you! It's like, the thirst is re-" Cisco was cut off when Caitlin clipped him around the ear. He rubbed his head and grumbled something, Kara merely giggled.

"Hi." Short, sweet, and to the point. That's how it was with Harry, and Kara didn't think twice of it.

"So! What brings you to Earth-1, I hope it's nothing serious? Like, I don't know if we could handle another alien invasion." Cisco chuckled nervously and Kara shook her head, looking at Barry who suddenly didn't seem so chipper. The mood of the entire room fell in an instant, and Kara awkwardly rubbed her heel into the ground, careful not to crack it underneath the weight of her physiology. She looked up at the worried expressions on Team Flash's face, and the distinct look of frustration on Harry's. She cleared her throat, and began her explanation.

"Well, first of all I came here to check up on Barry. But when I found Iris is missing," Kara nearly winced as the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. "I decided to stick around and help out. You know, I feel a little bad constantly having to get help from you guys, and I wanna do something in return. Plus, Iris is a friend, and I'd be a pretty lousy hero if I just left without trying." Kara's explanation seemed to satisfy Team Flash, and raise their spirits a little bit. If only temporarily.

"Oh, Cisco! I completely forgot!" Kara peaked his interest, and Cisco titled his head. "Can you create a breach and bring Alex here? She's offered to help out. She works for the government, and missing persons is kinda one of her specialties." Kara seemed giddy at the prospect of Team Flash meeting her sister properly for the first time.

Cisco clicked his fingers and went to the laboratory, grabbing his gauntlet and goggles from Harry's work space and slipped them both on. He gestured for everyone to step back from the centre of the Cortex and give him some room to open a breach. He held out his hand, and a blue energy poured from his closed fist. A swirling portal appeared in the centre of the room, growing more stable as time went on. Kara swiftly sent off a text to Alex, confirming it was safe to walk through the portal that hopefully appeared in her living room. After a few more seconds, Alex popped through the breach. She looked a little dazed and out of it for a second, but shook off the dizziness until she could comprehend where she was, and the arms that were wrapped around her. Of course they belonged to Kara, her sister would miss her after five minutes of not seeing each other.

"Everyone! This is my sister, Alex! She works with me at the D.E.O." Kara pulled Alex around the room by the hand, introducing her to everyone on Team Flash. One by one, Kara gave introductions and Alex could barely keep up with what was going on, still a little dizzy from coming through the breach when her body had never done something like that before. It felt like going on a roller coaster, feeling sick because of it, and proceeding to go on it again for nothing more than a cheap thrill.

"It's nice to meet you all," Alex looked at Caitlin, Cisco, and Harry with a soft and polite smile. Nothing too friendly, but not too stiff either. "Kara's told me wonderful things about all of you. And I owe you a lot for saving Kara after that 'Music Meister' whammied Kara in the D.E.O." She shook all of their hands, but before they could discuss the matter at hand — that being Iris' disappearance — an alarm went off and the lights inside S.T.A.R. Labs began to flash red.  
"Somethings are a constant in the multiverse, good to know." Alex muttered to herself as she joined the rest of Team Flash and Kara who were crowded around the monitors.

"Multiple reports of panic attacks happening inside Central City Bank. But... what kind of meta could induce panic attacks?" Cisco asked, clearly unsure of the answer. As soon as he spoke, both Kara and Alex's faces fell. They looked at each other, but Kara was the one who was more afraid by far. She turned pale and wanted to puke, Alex couldn't help but put a comforting hand on her arm with a light squeeze.

"Kara? What is it? What's wrong?" Cisco asked, and Barry frowned. He'd never seen Kara look so afraid, and truth be told, it worried him deeply. What could possibly make the Girl of Steel want to run away and hide? When Kara didn't speak, Barry walked up and kissed her temple, bringing her back down to reality.

"Kara, honey. What is it? What's wrong? Talk to me." Barry gently tried to coax her, and Kara reluctantly swallowed her fear. She looked at Barry and weakly nodded, pulling herself together momentarily. Just long enough to explain why her trembling was warrant, and how this unknown metahuman wasn't so unknown to Supergirl.

"Her name is Gayle Marsh. Aka Psi," Cisco grumbled as the chance to give this new metahuman a badass nickname was sadly taken away from him again. Harry nudged his shoulder with a grin, and Cisco pulled a face at him. Kara continued to talk. "She's a metahuman that can influence people's fears and bring out their worst nightmares," Kara turned to Barry, clinging to his arms desperately. "Be careful, Barry. Don't underestimate her, Psi's powerful and she can cripple anyone who gets in her way. Just... be careful, please."

Kara was mortified at the prospect of Barry going up against Psi, but Central City was his home, and the Flash had a duty to protect the people from both physical and psychological threats. She trusted Barry, but knew Psi could easily cripple and ruin him if he wasn't careful. He leaned in to kiss Kara on the lips, cupping her cheek softly to calm her worries — at least a little — and garner her attention. They locked us, and Barry smiled softly.

"I'll be careful, I promise. Stay here, and I'll deal with Psi." Barry whispered, and before Kara could protest, Barry zipped out of S.T.A.R. Labs towards the Central City Bank with the intent to take Psi down before she caused any more harm to his city. Kara and Alex shared a look, and they both glanced at Team Flash who looked equally as worried.

This was not going to end well.

~~~

Arriving at the Central City Bank, Barry was mortified. Everyone was cowering in fear, all their faces marked by tear tracks, fresh ones streaming down like a new level of pain with every plea for mercy. One woman was whimpering the name of her son, pleading for the visions inside her head to leave her child alone, others were pulling at their collars as if they couldn't breathe, and some were merely rocking back and forth as horrifying images plagued their minds with horrendous visions.   
Deciding it was best to get them away from Psi's influence, Barry took them all outside and left them in the protection of the police officers who'd showed up to the scene moments after Barry arrived. They were at risk of Psi's influence of they went inside and giving them something to do while Barry dealt with the threat head on seemed like the best — or possibly worst — course of action.

Barry could hear a faint whistling coming from the vault, someone mimicking a tune unbeknownst to him. He slowly stepped forward, realising his speed would alert Psi to his presence if she wasn't already. He peeked his head in the door and placed a hand on the meta-cuffs on his belt. Once they were snapped around Psi's wrist, she'd be powerless to fight back. In both a physical and a mental sense. 

Psi held a few bags of cash in her hands, notes scattered across the floor, continuing to whistle her tune loudly as if this were a casual stroll in the park. Barry unlocked the cuffs, making a soft click noise barely noticeable by him. But Psi heard it clear as day, and as soon as Barry took a step and tried to run at her, and snap the cuffs around her wrist, he fell to the floor with his hands on his head. He screamed violently as Psi awoke his most traumatic memories and exploited his fears so much Barry couldn't even stand. She laughed at the poor Speedster crumbled up at her feet and kneeled beside him as if we were to comfort him. Grabbing the hand cuffs and tossing them away was her first move, her second was taunting Barry who was feeling the pain of every single loss as if it were happening there and then all at once.

"Whenever the moon and stars are set, whenever the wind is high," Psi began to whisper to Barry, eyeing him up like a lioness would a wounded antelope. "Late in the night, when the fires are out. Why does he gallop about?" She questioned softly, her voice soothing and melodic. She chuckled and stood up, pressing her boot into Barry's chest, causing him to cry out in pain. Inside Barry's head, Reverse Flash had just shoved his hand right though Barry's chest and crushed his heart, and Barry felt that pain.  
"Mmm. Even the Flash can be crippled by fear," She pressed her heel in even further, and Barry began to beg. "You're pathetic." She growled and went back to collecting cash in the bags she'd momentarily dropped. The Flash wouldn't be much of a problem, and neither would the CCPD.

"Stop! Please! Y-You... you can't... no... Kara! Kara! KARA! NO, KARA!" Barry's voice echoed throughout S.T.A.R. Labs, and Kara's heart broke. Whatever sick and twisted visions Barry were experiencing, Kara was at the eye of the storm. Caitlin covered her mouth, feeling the bile in the back of her throat. She swallowed hard as Barry continued to beg for mercy.

"D-Don't hurt her! D-Don't hurt Kara! Just... take me! TAKE ME, PLEASE!" As Barry continued to scream, Kara couldn't take it anymore. She pressed the button below the microphone and began to talk, desperately hoping to drag the love of her life out of whatever nightmare Psi had ruthlessly inflicted upon him.

"Barry, listen to me. Come on, Bar. I'm right here, I'm okay. Just listen to my voice," It wasn't having much of an effect, but Barry had at least stopped screaming her name in anguish. "What you see right now feels real, I know it does, but it's not real. It's all in your mind, Barry. Just focus on my voice and come back to me. I'm safe, I'm alive, and I love you. With all of my heart. And I know you're stronger then Psi, you've saved the world countless times, and you're the strongest man I know."   
Barry's whimpers began to die down, and Harry looked at Kara encouragingly. Whatever she was doing was working, and Barry was being pulled out of the dark. 

"Psi is going to hurt a lot of people if you don't stand up and take her down. I know you can do it, because you're the Flash. You're Central City's protector and by Rao you're the man that I love! And I believe you can do anything! Stand up, and run, Barry, run!" Her words seemed to resonate, and Barry felt his fears return to just fears. He stood up and grabbed the cuffs off the floor, and instantly clicked them around Psi's wrist. 

Psi looked up at Barry, completely petrified. No one had ever resisted her influence, and Barry seemed completely immobilised only a minute ago. She went to explain herself and plead for mercy, but Barry wasn't having any of it. He pulled his arm back and punched Psi in the nose, knocking her out cold instantly as his fist made contact. He zipped her over to Iron Heights as a present there and didn't make any detours on the way back to S.T.A.R. Labs. All he needed was to see the faces of his friends again more than anything.

As soon as Barry returned to S.T.A.R. Labs, and the sight of Kara had processed in his brain, Barry's mind finally had enough. He swayed side to side and collapsed, Kara managing to catch him before he collided with the ground. He could hear a faint mumbling of Caitlin's voice for Kara to put him in the medical bay.   
That much trauma probably wasn't good for anyone, but Caitlin knew from experience Barry would be able to bounce back with the support of his friends and family. Kara trusted Caitlin's assessment because she'd been through the same thing, and it was only a few days later and lots of hugs from Alex that Kara had mostly, if not completely, recovered from her experience. 

~~~

Hours later, Barry was cleared by Caitlin of major injuries or severe trauma. He'd been in and out of conscious for a while but had finally fallen asleep an hour previous.   
Cisco and Caitlin decided to grab lunch for the rest of the group. Harry was in his workshop tinkering with some of Cisco's gears in order to stabilise his abilities further. Alex was floating around, but often came back to check up on Barry and asked if Kara needed anything. So far she didn't, and Alex decided it was best to leave her alone with Barry as the Scarlet Speedster slept and healed. 

A few minutes after Alex had left the room, Kara heard a gust of wind and her attention snapped to the centre of the Cortex. There stood a man, clad in a yellow suit similar to Barry's design. His eyes were glowing a deep red and he was vibrating so fast Kara couldn't make out his face. Or any features for that matter. She stood up and shielded Barry's unconscious form from view. Glaring at this unknown Speedster, Kara decided to speak.

"Who are you?" Kara demanded, but the Speedster didn't respond. He just stood there, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Kara's expression grew darker, and she took a step forward. Whoever this person was, they clearly weren't friendly, and Kara had to be ready to fight at a moment's notice.  
"What do you want?" She pressed further, and the Speedster smiled, a blurry and sadistic smile. 

"How sweet of you to try and find Iris West. I was so touched by your arrival and dedication, I'm going to offer you an olive branch." Kara really didn't like the sound of that, but hopefully there was something she could get out of this 'conversation' if she didn't jump the again and flatten the Speedster like a bug.  
"You have twenty-four hours to find Iris West before I snap her neck, and leave her for CCPD to find," His tone infuriated Kara to no end. "She's somewhere within the limits of Central City. That's all I'm going to give you, Supergirl. Good luck."   
Before Kara could question further, the Speedster zipped away, leaving Kara staring in shock, her mind was racing. She looked back at Barry and sighed deeply. Without Barry, finding Iris was going to be a major problem. And she knew Barry would never forgive himself if the worst came to pass for Iris. She needed to do something, and she couldn't do it alone.

"Oh, Rao."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	5. The Search Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Back for Chapter 5, The Search Pt. 2! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I really hope you all enjoy reading it! Not much else to say this time, so I won't keep you. Enjoy The Search Pt. 2!

Lunch was cute rather short. Cisco and Caitlin had quickly rushed back to S.T.A.R. Labs once Kara informed them of the Speedster they explained to her was named Eobard Thawne; a Speedster from the future with a vendetta against Barry.  
He was a pest that wouldn't go away, no matter how many times you swatted him dead. If Thawne was involved, Team Flash had a lot more to worry about. Thawne always had an agenda, and just kidnapping someone wasn't enough for him.   
Putting their minds together, Team Flash could solve any mystery laid out in front of them. But the real problem was finding Iris before the deadline; which was unfortunately in exactly twenty-two hours and forty-six minutes.

Barry was still out of commission and would be for another six hours at best. Even then, Barry needed comfort, and support. Pushing him into a situation that would stress him would just further the problem. As much as his speed would comfy in hand; two metahumans, two scientists, and an alien were more than enough to figure out where Iris was being held. They just needed to keep their collective cool in order to accomplish their goal, and Kara surprisingly was doing rather well. She wasn't constantly fidgeting or requesting updates on Barry's condition every five seconds. Work now, cry later. That was her mentality, and Alex was in her corner every step of the way.

"We need options, Ramon! Not theories!" Harry snapped at Cisco, who was sifting through the most likely places to hide someone in Central City (but they weren't giving anything solid and dampening the moral of the group. His attitude was out of line, but understandable).   
Cisco felt powerless to stop Thawne and save one single life, Kara could relate, but still understood his outburst wasn't helping anyone.

"What if you vibe? I'm pretty sure West has something around here we could use to-" Cisco shook his head in remorse and put his head in his hands. Caitlin put her hand on his shoulder.

"Tried that already, wherever Thawne is keeping Iris, I can't use my powers in there." Cisco grumbled, and Caitlin looked up at Alex hopefully, her eyes glimmering in reflection of the fluorescent lights scattered across the ceiling. She was always the optimist of the group, while both being the realist. It was a fine balance only Caitlin Snow could keep up, and Kara envied that.

"Every second we spend here brainstorming is another second Iris comes closer to death!" Cisco punched the desk and ran a hand through his hair. The feeling of powerlessness washed over the entire group, and it was hitting them hard.

Alex didn't have any ideas of her own, besides using Cisco's abilities to her advantage, or Kara's tracking of heartbeats. But Cisco had already tried that option, and Kara couldn't distinguish Iris' heartbeat out of the millions of people in Central City.   
Twenty-two hours never felt like so little time as when someone's head was on the chopping block. 

Harry threw his pen across the room, Kara narrowly dodging it as it sailed over her shoulder. She didn't blame him, but a quick glance his way warning him to watch it was enough to satisfy her. They sat there in an awkward silence for what felt like an eternity, no one able to come up with any ideas on how to find Iris besides checking every nook and cranny in Central City, and they didn't have that kind of time.

Calling the Green Arrow would take too long, Star City wasn't exactly next door. And Oliver was dealing with enough right now; Cayden James, Dinah, Rene, and Curtis being problematic, Earth-2 Laurel Lance on the loose, Star City demanding Oliver's head on a pike, and the FBI watching everyone of Oliver's moves with an eagle eye.   
Calling the Legends wasn't an option either. Mallus was keeping them extremely busy, and Damien Darhk was constantly pestering them at every turn. They didn't have the resources or man power to offer a hand to Team Flash, even though they'd surely want too. Nothing was going according to plan, and as much as they all hated it, they took a break to think about a plan, and whoever came up with one would just spill it out as soon as it came to mind. That seemed the best course of action in their given circumstances, even Alex agreed.

~~~

After a few hours of almost complete silence — a few plans being formed but swiftly shut down— Alex shot up out of her chair with her fingers clicking, garnering everyone's attention. They all spun to look at her, and despite their low morale, their faces read nothing but hope. She walked into the centre of the Cortex and clicked her fingers at Cisco, obviously trying to remember his name.

"Cisco! You told us you couldn't vibe to find Iris, right?" Alex question, and Cisco nodded affirmatively. "See, I think you're wrong. And Kara," Kara looked up at her, dopey eyed. "You said you couldn't distinguish Iris' heartbeat amidst a crowd. I think you're wrong too." She walked over to Harry who seemed stunned when Alex ripped a pen out of his hands and drew on the board, plotting out a timeline of events that needed to happen in order to save Iris'.

"When the Music Meister attacked Barry, and Kara, you took Iris and Mon-El into their minds. But as Harry was telling me earlier, you can see the past, present, and future. Can you take people to the past as well?" She asked, and Cisco nodded briefly, not understanding what Alex had up her sleeve,  
"Kara, if you heard Iris' heartbeat when she was scared, could you pick her out of a crowd right now?" Things started to connect in everyone's mind, and Kara let go of Barry's hand, rushing forward,

"Yeah, of course I could! Why? How does that help?" Kara asked, unsure of how far Alex had thought this through. Alex continued to write on the board and clicked her fingers at Harry to grab his attention. He clicked his fingers back at her and quickly rushed to grab Cisco's gauntlets and goggles, tossing them at him with lightning fast speeds. He caught them, barely, and looked up confused.

"Cisco, I need you to take Kara back to a time where Iris was scared. And I mean, petrified she was going to die. Just for a minute. Kara, I need you to listen to Iris' heartbeat and when you come back, focus only on that. We should be able to find Iris that way." After her explanation, Team Flash were all filed with hope and optimism. 

"Not bad, Danvers. Ramon? Get to it." Harry ordered, and Cisco had already geared up for the plan. Kara walked over to him and placed a hand on Cisco's shoulder as Cisco held a piece of clothing Iris had left behind in the Speed Lab. He held it tight in his grip and looked at everyone else briefly, unsure of where to try and send himself and Kara in order for this plan to work.

"The night Savitar was going to kill West. Go there, Iris should be well and truly scared then." Harry formulated and plan, and despite Caitlin looking a little uncomfortable, Caitlin nodded in agreement. 

After a few seconds of nothing, Kara gasped as she saw blinding flashes of white light and suddenly, her and Cisco weren't in S.T.A.R. Labs, they were in a public park in the middle of the night. There were three people in view, and three others hidden away close by. She saw Barry slowly edging towards Iris being held up by a man in giant white armour with blue energy glowing underneath. She deduced that to be Savitar, Barry's greatest foe.

She felt sick at the sight but had to wait it out. She had to wait until Iris was truly scared for her life before she could memorise her heartbeat. It was horrific, but it was necessary to save her life. That was the only comfort Kara held close to her chest in that moment.

"Don't! Please... don't! Don't do this!" Barry begged, outstretching his hands towards Iris, currently being held by Savitar in his giant metal claws. Savitar pulled his hand back, and a giant spike emerged from its wrist, long enough to go clean through Iris like she was made out of tissue paper. Kara covered her mouth in horror at the sight, but kept watching none the less.

"Now finally I am free you!" Savitar's distorted voice rang out amongst the deafening silence. Iris was on the verge of tears, being rather brave despite her current predicament. Kara wanted nothing more than to lunge forward and save her, but this was only a vision, and Iris didn't die that night. She looked at Iris who kept her gaze on Barry despite being held by Savitar in a grip so tight it'd give the Man of Steel a run for his money.

"Barry... I love you!" Iris whispered, and Kara's heart broke. 

"Hey, no, don't say that, alright? You're gonna be alright. I'm begging you, just..." Barry tried to be comforting, but it was all in vain.

"Barry!" Iris cried out in fear, and that's when Kara could finally distinguish her heartbeat. She took a step back and looked at Cisco who looked equally mortified as Kara did, if not more. The last thing Kara heard before Cisco pulled them both out of the vibe were words that Kara was surprised didn't haunt Barry's nightmares for the rest of his life.

"You lose, Barry." 

"NO!"

~~~

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, both Cisco and Kara doubled back in fear of what they just saw. Caitlin rushed to comfort Cisco, and Alex to comfort Kara. As both heroes slowly regained their composure, and Kara wiped the tears from her eyes. One sound was left over, and Kara focused in on it. It was clear, distinct, and recognisable. At least if she had to see something as horrifying as that, it wasn't in vain. She pulled herself to her feet and held onto Alex for support, eventually pulling herself long enough to stay that way. Cisco was still reeling from what he saw, and Caitlin helped him up and plopped him down into a chair so he could rest comfortably.

"I know where Iris is."

"Go, Kara, I'll make sure Cisco's okay." Caitlin smiled sweetly and cupped Cisco's cheek, bringing him into a hug and letting him cry in peace. Seeing your friend 'die' was pretty traumatic, and no one blamed Cisco for shutting down on himself after having to witness that. Kara looked at Harry who nodded and flew into the corridor and out of S.T.A.R. Labs, into Central City.   
They had still nineteen hours to find Iris, and Kara only needed three minutes. She felt a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over herself. Saving lives always made Kara feel like a true hero, and the ex-fiancé of her boyfriend was no exception.

~~~

Arriving at the warehouse where Iris was being held, Kara could hear two other heartbeats besides Iris'. She steeled herself, preparing to face down Eobard Thawne once more, and discover where the mysterious third person was. Maybe they were another person Thawne kidnapped, or maybe they were an ally to Thawne. Either way, Kara had a job to do, and she wasn't leaving without Iris. 

Deciding stealth wasn't an option, Kara kicked the steel shudder door off its hinges. It skidded across the floor and stopped dead in its tracks, striking a shipping container and making an awfully loud thud. She flew inside, finding Iris trapped inside a cage, chained to its bars by her wrists. Kara felt sick to her stomach. 

"Kara... l-look..." Iris whimpered in terror. She was looking past Kara at something that seemed to horrify her, and Kara gulped. Turning around, Kara saw Thawne standing in the darkness, next to a woman wearing a Kryptonian symbol on her chest. Kara didn't recognise from any of the languages on Krypton.   
This woman was wearing an outfit similar to Supergirl's, except it was grey, the skirt was swapped out for pants, and a mask that looked like a jagged crown covering her face. She looked a little familiar, but not enough for Kara to places name to a face. Thawne started to clap, and Kara narrowed her eyes.

"Here we are, I knew you'd find Iris eventually. But I did not expect it to be so soon! I'm almost impressed." He grinned. "Almost." The woman next to him crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing Kara up and down curiously. There was something about the way this woman was looking at her that made Kara feel deathly afraid.

"My partner and I feel as if you deserve a reward for finding Iris so quickly. And as such, I'll grant you some time alone with Barry Allen before we make our next move." His voice was calm, as if he were taunting a mouse, rather then the strongest Kryptonian on Earth.  
"But after that, we will come for you, Kara Zor-El, and justice will be dispensed. I promise you that, Daughter Of Krypton." 

"Who are you? Are you from Krypton?" Kara narrowed her eyes.

"I am from the time before fathoming. Born to cleanse the scourge of sinners and deliver the awakening," She took a step forward, grinning. "I am Reign."

There was a tension in the room; but before Kara could make another move, Thawne had zipped past her and unlocked the chains binding Iris inside her cell, leaving the door unlocked. She went to turn back around to them and demand answers, but the Speedster and Kryptonian were gone. She sighed and rushed over to grab Iris who was sitting on her knees, soothing her wrists as they screamed at their new found freedom.   
Chains weren't the most comfortable thing in the world, and Iris had been held captive for weeks. She rushed over to assess her injuries, but Iris seemed remarkable unharmed. No broken bones, not dehydrated, or staved. Kara couldn't shake the feeling that Thawne did that on purpose. 

But at the end of the day, Iris was safe, and Kara had fulfilled her promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	6. What Is Your Sin, Kara Zor-El?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [What Is Your Sin, Kara Zor-El? Eating too many potstickers, probably. So, you know how I won't shut up about my fabulous and talented editor? Well, meekayylaa has published a poetry book (she'll deny it, but it is) called 'A world unlike your own', and it's beautiful! I cannot stress enough how important she is to you guys getting these stories. Without her eagerness, encouragement, and compassion I'd have given up on writing ten times over. Go and read her work, tell her I sent you, and show her the love and compassion she deserves! Here's the link, https://my.w.tt/370xdvnEBN — Now, on with Crisis On Earth-1!]

Everyone was ecstatic to have Iris back safe and sound. To say a great weight had been lifted off their shoulders would be the understatement of the century; and no one was more relieved then Kara to see Barry back to his happy-go-lucky self once more. But there was still one major problem Kara couldn't shake. There was this ache in her chest every time she saw Barry and Iris laughing together, as if nothing had changed between them whatsoever. She felt the same way when James and Lucy were together, but that was different; James was with Lucy and Kara had a right to feel the way she did because she wanted what Lucy had. This time the roles should have been reversed. If anyone should have been jealous it was Iris.

Kara and Barry had both lost the loves of their lives, but found something in each other they desperately needed. For a time, they were happy as happy can be; but Kara knew first hand how an old flame could easily be rekindled with the right spark. James and Lucy had practically pounced on each other, despite their extensive list of differences. And even though Barry and Iris had broken up — and not on the best of terms — there was still a decent chance Barry would finally see Kara wasn't good enough for him and go back the person who he was destined to be with. After all, Kara had seen the future once before. A news paper article from 2024, 'Flash Vanishes, Missing In Crisis' with the name 'Iris West-Allen' on the byline. It hurt to even think about the fact that Kara was a rebound, nothing more then a distraction for Barry until things could be reconciled with Iris, but unfortunately her self depreciating thoughts weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Suffice to say, Kara wasn't too proud of herself for wishing her dreadful feelings onto someone else; but every time Kara saw them together she couldn't stomach it, and her poor excuses to leave were wearing thin. 'I gotta talk to Alex' or 'I have to take this' (when her phone wasn't in fact ringing) weren't going to work forever. Eventually Kara was going to have to face the music. But the stubborn Kryptonian was going to delay the inevitable as long as she possibly could.   
She replayed old memories back of Barry and herself together, fighting the Dominators, singing 'Super Friend', announcing their devotion to each other in front of the entirety of National City. Her lips curved into a pleasant smile at the memories running inside her head, and tried desperately to convince herself that Barry truly loved her. That she wasn't a rebound. But she couldn't shake the thought. 

Running a hand through her golden locks, Kara was startled out of her thoughts by Caitlin wandering into the Cortex with a frown, eyeing Kara worriedly. She and Alex had taken notice of Kara's odd behaviour ever since Iris was found. Girls always knew, it was like their unique superpower. She placed a cup of hot chocolate down besides Kara with a soft smile, grabbing one of the other chairs and wheeling it over. The Kryptonian took the cup and gingerly sipped from it, a smile on her face as the deliciousness washed over her. Despite her alter-ego being an Ice Queen named Killer Frost, Caitlin made an exquisite hot chocolate.

"Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" Caitlin asked softly, so as to make sure no one else could hear. "Please don't say nothing's wrong, I want to help you." She practically begged, and Kara looked down at her feet with a sigh, putting her head in her hands. Delaying the inevitable was only going to make things worse, and Kara didn't want to have a mental breakdown. She conceded and drew her hands away from her face, placing them in her lap and running them down the fabric of her cheap business pants with a soft chuckle, a few tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Um... Rao, where do I even start? Okay, um... Girl to girl, I'm just worried about Barry and Iris... you know... Feelings are hard." Kara let out a soft laugh and rolled her eyes, Caitlin's stare softened with a sweet smile, placing her hand atop of Kara's comfortingly, encouraging Kara to keep going. She was finally able to express herself and Caitlin didn't want her to stop until everything that needed to be said had been said.  
"They're just... they look so happy together, and I see the way Barry looks at her. It was the same way he looked at Iris after we survived the Music Meister's trap. And I'm just sitting here, afraid I'm just a rebound for him, and that at the end of the day Barry and Iris will get together and I'll be... alone." She struggled to hold back her tears and finally they exploded, Kara gasped loudly as she desperately tried to stop crying. 

Caitlin wrapped her arms around the weeping Kryptonian and rubbed her back soothingly, a sincere attempt to calm her down. She whispered sweet nothings into Kara's ear for a few minutes until the Girl of Steel got a hold of herself and managed to control her emotions. She took off her glasses and ran a hand down her face, drying her eyes with her jumpers sleeve. Caitlin sat back in her chair and smiled sweetly at Kara who was chuckling to herself, joking at her own expense. She looked at Caitlin with sad eyes and stared at Barry's suit, standing tall on the mantle. She loved that suit to bits, it suited Barry's physicality and it gave hope to everyone in need, and fear in those who stood on the wrong side of the law. It was a rather beautiful symbolism for the kind of man Barry was. For the kind of man Kara had fallen so deeply in love with. 

"Kara, I'm going to tell you something straight from the heart. I'm not saying this to make you feel better, I'm saying it because it's the truth," As soon as Caitlin began to speak, Kara's heart started to race a mile a minute. "I have never seen Barry so happy with anyone than when he's with you. Linda, Patty, Iris, Barry's loved them all. But the way he looks at you, Kara, and the way he won't stop talking about you when you're not around is something special. Yes, Iris and Barry had something special too but it was no where near as special as what you two share. I've known Barry for over five years, and I'm here to tell you as sure as I'm sitting here, Barry Allen loves you, Kara Danvers. More then anything else in this world." 

Yes, Kara was practically sobbing at the end of Caitlin's heart felt speech, but it was for the best of reasons. Every positive thought Kara knew deep down was right had been validated, and it took a massive weight off her shoulders. She wrapped her arms around Caitlin and hugged S.T.A.R. Labs' resident scientist with a firm hold. She felt Caitlin's arms find her back and she smiled softly, holding the embrace for as long as socially acceptable and pulled away, wiping the last of the tears from her eyes. Caitlin stood up with a chuckle and extended her hand to Kara.

"Come on, Barry's buying the first round of drinks. You should come." Caitlin smiled sweetly and Kara took her hand, jumping at the opportunity. She downed the last of her hot chocolate with a wide grin plastered across her face, and practically skipped out of the Cortex in front of Caitlin. Caitlin swiftly grabbed her coat and switched off the lights in the Cortex, jogging to catch up with Kara who had already reached the elevator, fully willing to abandon Caitlin if she didn't pick up the pace. Kara was like an energetic puppy when she was in a good mood, and Caitlin couldn't help but smile. It felt good to lighten up someone's night from time to time. She walked into the elevator and pressed the button which would take them to the ground floor, and Kara could barely contain her excitement and happiness. 

~~~

Reign was far from agitated, the Kryptonian was consumed with rage. She'd offered her allegiance to Eobard Thawne with the promise their interests were aligned somewhat. But if events that had transpired recently were anything to go by, Thawne was only screwing her around for Rao knows what. Growing tired of Thawne's antics, Reign decided enough was enough. If she was going to cleanse the world of sinners, Thawne was a good place to start. 

As soon as Thawne burst into their facility, Reign sprung into action. She flew towards him, catching him by surprise by her considerable speed. She grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the brick wall adjacent to their current position, squeezing tightly. Her eyes glimmering in the darkness of the facility, glowing bright, in an attempt to intimidate Thawne; but the Speedster merely laughed and rolled his eyes, Reign quirked her brow at the bravado. 

"What's so funny, Speedster? I could crush every bone in your body. Don't mock me." Her Voice was low, a deep growl. It would scare even the bravest of men into submission, to bow their heads in fear to Reign's superiority. She grew frustrated at Thawne's laughing in her face but resisted the urge to kill him right there and then. However, Reign tightened her grip on Thawne's attire and narrowed her eyes, dialling the temperature up to eleven. She looked forward to burning a whole in the base of his skull, it would be such a sweat demise. If not her curiosity, Thawne would be dead on the floor at her feet, and Supergirl and her allies would be next.

"Don't threaten. Or have you forgotten?" Thawne raised his hand, it vibrating fast enough to punch a whole in her unbreakable chest and crush her heart. She didn't flinch in the face of his meaningless threat, Reign was fast enough to dodge his attack and put up a good fight, a far better chance then Supergirl would have against a similar if not the same opponent.

"I could end your life before you birth your next thought," He growled and narrowed his eyes at her. "Look, I get it. You're impatient." He started and Reign's grip somewhat loosened on him. If he played his cards right, Thawne could get to live another day.   
"Their guard is down, if we strike soon, the Flash and Supergirl won't stand a chance against us. Trust me a little while longer, and I assure you, you'll have Supergirls cape on a trophy wall in no time."

"I have no need of trophy's, I only exist to dispense justice." Reign answered blandly, lowering Eobard to the ground. She smirked as his hand stopped vibrating, as much as they didn't like each other, they had a mutual respect for each other. It was the only reason they didn't spend the entire time at each other's throats, both physically and metaphorically.   
"If your plan fails, I will dispense my justice upon you, Speedster. Don't forget that." She sneered in his direction and turned to walk away, taking off into flight. Thawne stood and stared at where Reign once stood with a smirk on his face.

"Take your best shot, Kryptonian."

As Reign flew away, the Kryptonian laughed to herself. Thawne may have a hidden agenda, but Reign wasn't a loyal attack dog. No Earth is that black and white, and Reign only needed Thawne's help for a little while longer. Long enough to destroy the Flash and Supergirl and their allies. Once they were dead, no one would be able to stand between Reign and her dispensing of justice. Not even Eobard Thawne.

~~~

Out at the bar, Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and Iris were all enjoying a rather peaceful night. Harry and Alex decided to stay back and work on finding Thawne and Reign. Truth be told, Kara was worried for Alex's safety. She wasn't going to take any of his attitude. Rows and rows of shots were being downed, but Kara and Barry weren't affected at all. Barry didn't exactly feel like getting drunk when he was so happy, and Kara couldn't get drunk unless the alcohol came from millions of light years away. Alderbran Rum was enough to get her wasted after a single glass, but the splitting headache she'd earned herself the day After wasn't exactly worth it. Meanwhile, however, Cisco, Caitlin, and Iris were slowly travelling down the rabbit hole towards intoxication, and all the Scarlet Speedster and Girl of Steel could do was laugh and keep them from falling over.

Eventually, Cisco, Caitlin, and Iris all wandered off to the dance floor to shake it out, and that left Barry and Kara sitting at the bar, minding their jackets. Kara shuffled closer to Barry, her stool creaking on the floor so loudly it was deafening to Kara, but unbeknownst to Barry. He put his hand on the bar, and Kara placed her hand on top of his. They really hadn't had a lot of time together to just enjoy each other's company. First it was Lillian Luthor, then it was Red Kryptonite, then it was Cadmus, then it was Iris, and now it was Thawne and Reign. But for tonight, they could just forget about all of that, and take it slow for once. 

For two people who spent their lives moving at superhuman speeds, taking it slow was key. Because right there, and right then, they weren't the Flash and Supergirl, they were Barry and Kara; two people who want to spend the rest of their lives together.   
As they sat there, hand in hand, Barry and Kara could only feel comfortable in each other's embrace. Barry leaned forward and Kara placed her lips against his. There was no hesitant, and no doubt in the kiss, and it just confirmed everything Caitlin had told Kara. There was no doubt that Barry loved Kara with all his heart, Iris was a thing of the past, and Kara was his future. 

"Doing okay, Kar? You seem..."

"Stressed? Uh... okay, I promised I'd be honest with you. I was.... Rao, I was jealous of you and Iris being together! I just thought that I was a.... I was thought I was a rebound, Barry, but being here with you tonight, Caitlin was right. I'm sorry I doubted you," Kara sighed. "Like, super sorry. No pun intended." Kara looked down, briefly. She didn't like being jealous, but no matter where she found herself, jealousy always followed close behind. Barry put an arm around Kara and pulled her closer. She comfortably rested her head on his shoulder and let out a content breath. He gently rubbed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. 

"You know what Iris told me earlier? She told me that she was happy for you and I, and that she couldn't think of a better person for me to spend the rest of my life with," He chuckled. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Kar. But thank you for being honest."  He tightened his hold on Kara just enough to where she felt it, and Kara looked up at him with her eyes glimmering. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, before being rudely interrupted by Caitlin, but it wasn't Caitlin. Her hair was platinum blonde, and her eyes were a stark white. She smirked at the two, full well knowing she ruined the moment.

"Hey, Frost." Barry said bitterly. "What can I do for you?" He forced a smile, and Killer Frost feigned a pout,

"Caity isn't feeling one-hundred percent, I think she needs to lie down. As for Ramon and West, I think they've..." Killer Frost turned to look at Cisco and Iris being complete idiots on the dance floor, their dances moves appalling and their rhythm non-existent. She shuddered as if she were freezing, and rolled her eyes.   
"They've had enough to drink. Take us home?" She batted her eye lids at Barry and Kara, who rolled theirs in sync. "Perfect! I'll round up the drunks!" She skipped off happily, and Barry sighed. He looked at Kara who shook her head, stifling a giggle at Killer Frost's antics. She was only trying to vex them, but there was some sincerity in her words.

Eventually, Killer Frost came back holding Cisco and Iris by their collars. She dragged them outside to the back alley where no one was watching, and shoved them both towards Barry who barley caught their drunken forms. She wrapped her arms around Kara, signalling that she wanted the Girl of Steel to take her home. Barry couldn't figure out her motivation behind doing so but decided to let it slide. She couldn't harm Kara even if she wanted to, and truth be told, Barry was beginning to trust her. At least somewhat.

"Run along Flash. Us girls gotta stick together." Killer Frost smirked, and Barry nodded. He looked at Kara who returned the nod and he took off, remnants of lightning left behind. She looked to Kara who seemed to stare after him and rolled her eyes. Of course she was doe eyed for the Scarlet Speedster.

"Earth to Supergirl! I'm not standing in the cold out here all night. As tempting as that sounds," Frost smiled. "You and I need to chat." Of course those words resonated with Kara and she nodded quickly, taking off towards Caitlin and Killer Frost's apartment. Upon landing inside, Killer Frost stretched her limbs and sauntered over to her couch and collapsed into it.

"So. What did you wanna talk about? If this was some ploy to get me inside your bedroom, I'm happily spoken for, Frost." Kara decided to turn the tables a little and stiffen her spine. Frost looked up and smirked, shaking her head. She gestured for Kara to sit beside her, and Kara shuffled over to the couch. She nervously adjusted her glasses, fiddling with the thin frames.

"As much as you're worried I'm going to straddle your lap, or shove and icicle through your heart, I'm afraid it's the exact opposite," Frost sighed and looked at Kara, her expression softening. "I wanted to ask if Caity knocked some sense into you and that you and Barry are okay?" Kara was more then a little surprised to find out that Frost was genuinely worried about her relationship status. It made her smile, but Frost shot an ice cold glare her way.

"Well? Don't just sit there and smile. What's happening?" Frost grumbled, and Kara chuckled happily. She cleared her throat and composed her thoughts, Killer Frost wasn't the kind of woman who appreciated stammering.

"We're good, Frost. I told Barry the truth about how I feel, and apparently Iris is really supportive of our relationship. So I'm really happy! And... I'm happy you care, Frost. It means a lot. So far, I see myself and Barry lasting a long time." Kara spoke direct from the heart and Frost only nodded as Kara continued to speak.

"Maybe Barry and I can have a long life together. There's gonna be hardships, and there's gonna be dangers, but Barry and I can get through it out. I know we can! We just gotta be patient. That's all, and I'd wait an eternity for that man..." Kara sighed, and Frost smiled.

"Good to hear, Supergirl." Frost yawned and stood up, stretching her joints with a low whine. She stumbled over to the bedroom and leaned on the doorframe, tapping the tip of her boot against the carpet floor absentmindedly. She looked at Kara who still held a dopey smile plastered across her face.  
"You tell anyone I care, and I'll freeze your ass. Now go home, Caity's gonna have a headache tomorrow and I need some sleep before that happens." She closed the door to her bedroom, and Kara stood up off the couch and jumped out the window, flying back towards Barry's apartment for the evening.

Right now, Kara was the happiest she'd ever been. But Barry was about to make her even happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!]


	7. An Unexpected Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How’s everyone doing? I’m back for Chapter Seven, aka An Unexpected Proposal! I’ve been reading The Mortal Instruments recently (only up to City of Ashes, so no spoilers!). Highly recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of fantasy and romance. Also, for any Arrow and Legends fans, I got to meet David Ramsey (John Diggle) and Jes Macallan (Ava Sharpe) on the weekend! They’re both wonderful people, and if you ever have the chance to meet them, I recommend that too. Without further ado, An Unexpected Proposal!

It had been strangely quiet over the last few days. Patrols around Central City lead to nothing more than a few kittens rescued from trees, as well as a few minor altercations being cooled down before they reached their melting point. Everyone at S.T.A.R. Labs held the knowledge that the Reverse Flash and Reign were plotting Rao knows what; but Barry and Kara were confident that whatever it was they could handle it.   
Barry had beaten Thawne multiple times before, as well as other Speedsters. And Kara was more then capable of taking on a single Kryptonian. 

The D.E.O. were working on finding out any information on Reign they could on their Earth. As far as Kara knew, Reign was a Kryptonian from her Earth which meant the key to stopping her would most likely be on her Earth. Team Flash had enough to worry about in terms of finding Thawne anyways, and National City wasn't facing any world-ending events, and Winn always loved challenges. He was more then happy to help out, once J'onn had chewed Kara and Alex out for skipping out on their jobs. That was an awkward conversation, and Kara knew when they returned they'd be in for a world of hurt. They came to an agreement in the end, however. They could stay for as long as they wanted, but if anything required their intervention on Earth-38 they were to drop whatever they were doing and return immediately. Seeing as Kara and Alex would do it even if it weren't a requirement, they happily agreed.

But Kara knew something was up, no one — including Alex — was acting like themselves. They were rather skittish, and Kara was growing suspicious. People would just randomly leave the room without an explanation, and someone would follow about thirty seconds later trying not to act suspicious but unfortunately for them Kara wasn't as oblivious as they perhaps presumed. But asking Alex was completely useless, she'd use her skills of deception to deflect the questions Kara was asking and end up getting Kara to ramble on about potstickers. It must have been some mind control the D.E.O. was working on because no matter how hard Kara tried, Alex always managed to flip it on her. 

Eventually, Kara decided whatever they were hiding probably wasn't life threatening if she weren't involved. Of course it was bugging her like there was no tomorrow but as long as the world wasn't ending, Kara could manage. She decided not to think about it, because if she kept thinking about it, the Girl of Steel might go insane.   
She'd been texting Lena to kill time while she waited for Barry to return from his latest patrol. He'd promised date night, with pizza and potstickers provided, and Kara couldn't wait. She'd finally be able to curl up next to Barry, watch some awful romantic-comedy, and stuff her face with her two favourite foods across the multiverse.

Lena Luthor - "You're a wonderful girlfriend, Kara. Not many women would rescue their boyfriends ex-fiancé from a Speedster." 8:23 PM

"Not many ex-fiancés would be so supportive! But Iris has been lovely, I can't believe I was worried about her..." 8:23 PM

Lena Luthor - "I'd have been worried too. I wouldn't think too much about it, Kara. Just enjoy your time with Barry." 8:24 PM

"I am, we're about to have date night! I'm so excited! How's everything back home?" 8:24 PM

Lena Luthor - "It's fine, Kara. Nothing to worry about." 8:25 PM

It was much easier to lie over text than in person, but Lena was an expert in online deception as well as face to face. Whatever was going on didn't require Supergirl's attention. And with a rogue Speedster and Kryptonian threatening Earth-1, Lena deemed it — while important — not important enough to drag Kara back over to Earth-38 for. Plus telling her would only spoil her — much needed — time with Barry and Lena didn't want to drive a wedge in there relationship. If anyone was good enough for Kara Danvers, it was Barry Allen.

"O-Kay! It's nice to talk to you, I do miss you :D I still need to get you a souvenir though! What's your favourite animal?" 8:26 PM

Lena Luthor - "It's takes you this long to ask? I'm hurt :(" - 8:26 PM

"What's mine? Mmm?" - 8:27 PM

Lena Luthor - "Penguin. They're cute, fluffy, and their waddling is adorable. That's how you put it, yes?" 8:27 PM

"... Touché. What's yours then?" 8:28 PM

Lena Luthor - "It's a Cat, I've always loved Cats." 8:28 PM

"O-Kay! Well, I'll keep an eye out for stuff! I should see where Barry is, I gotta go Lena! Bye bye!" 8:29 PM

Lena Luthor - "Goodbye, Kara. Have fun." 8:30 PM

Kara put her phone down on the coffee table and leaned back into Barry's comfortable couch and kicked her feet up. She stuffed another few Pringles into her mouth and mindlessly played with the nearly empty can. She was rather bored, but the mindless entertainment on TV was enough to keep her satisfied until her and Barry could agree on a cheesy romantic-comedy to snuggle up with. She heard a buzz on her phone and moved to pick it up, surprised when it was a text from Barry. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile but when she read the content she frowned. That wasn't a text anyone wanted to read when it was about to be their date night.

Barry Allen <3 - "I need you at S.T.A.R. Labs. It's important." 8:34 PM

Kara sighed and dropped her phone on the couch, and closed the can of pringles. Deciding it was best to not waste anytime, Kara threw the blanket back onto the couch and changed out of her pyjamas and into her Supergirl attire. She grabbed her phone and stashed it away, flying out the window and towards S.T.A.R. Labs. She wasn't dawdling either, but breaking the sound barrier and by proxy shattering the windows of every building she flew past. She was worried but if Barry was in real danger she wouldn't have gotten a text from Barry so casually. Satisfied with that, Kara continued to fly. Whatever this was, Kara could handle it.

~~~

Arriving at S.T.A.R. Labs, Kara noticed all of the lights were out. It wasn't like Kara couldn't hear eight heartbeats inside the Cortex, all beating a mile a minute. She swallowed down her fear and quickly walked throughout the corridors of S.T.A.R. Labs, zeroing in on the five other heartbeats which were getting louder and louder as she approached, as well as Kara's. She steeled herself for what was around the corner, and stepped into the Cortex, eyes scanning the darkness. She was about to use her x-ray vision to see whoever was hiding amongst the darkness, but before she could, the lights were suddenly on and everyone was standing around, smiles on their faces. There was food, and drink all around, and Joe even had a camera. Cecile was hanging on his left arm with a smile to match the others.

"What is this? Barry? What's going on?" Kara smiled, and Barry nervously chuckled. He rubbed the back of his neck, and reached into his back pocket.  Pulling his hand back out revealed a small, black velvet box that fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. Immediately, Kara's hands went to cover her mouth as her eyes filled with tears of pure joy. She looked around the group, and Cisco and Caitlin were smiling widely, and Caitlin's eyes were filled with tears of her own. She was always the one to cry most of Team Flash about sentimental things like this.

"Oh, Rao... Barry... is that? Is this a... oh Rao!" Kara could barely form a coherent sentence through her tears and her quivering lip. Barry knelt down onto one knee, and wiped the fresh tears setting his eyes.

"You know, I did invite these guys so you'd feel the pressure," Barry joked, and Kara laughed through her tears. "Plus, I want all of them to know how much I truly love you, and how badly I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Ever since I met you, I've felt a connection between us. First it was a friendship, but then it become a relationship. We've had our ups and downs, I won't deny that. But at the end of the day, all I wanna do is come running home to you. You're my shining star, Kara Danvers. I love you, and I want to spend every waking moment with you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Whatever challenges, trials, and hardships we face, I know our love can conquer it." Barry opened the box, to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. Kara gasped at the sight of it, and felt her knees tremble. It was beautiful, and Kara loved it beyond measure. She looked around with a smile but returned her attention back to the ring.

"Kara Zor-El. Will you marry me?" Barry whispered, eyes full of hope. Kara nodded her head frantically and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Barry as she cried into his shoulder, her emotions on full display to everyone.

"Yes! Oh, Rao, yes, Barry! I love you!" Kara exclaimed, and everyone started to clap and cheer for the happy couple who were now fiancés. Barry stepped back and grabbed the ring, gently sliding it onto Kara's fingers as she tried to keep her hand from trembling. Once it was on, Kara twirled her hand and felt the rings weight, playing with the jewel carefully as to not break it.  
"It's beautiful, Barry, I love it." Kara whispered, and Barry chuckled softly, leaning in for a soft kiss. 

"Just like you." Barry whispered against her lips, and Kara giggled happily.

"You're so cheesy! But I love it." Kara replied, and wrapped her arms around Barry once more.

"Woo! Let's celebrate! My boys getting married!" Cisco yelled and pop the champagne bottle, sending the cork flying across the room. He quickly drank the liquid flowing from the bottle neck and raised it in the air in triumph, Barry laughed and snatched the bottle from his grasp, drinking part of it also. He offered it to Kara who took the next sip, and was about to go for another until Alex snatched the bottle away from her. She cheered loudly as she drank, as did everyone else. Kara finally realised this must have been the reason they were all acting so odd and out of character. They were plotting this the whole time, and Kara couldn't be happier with the surprise. 

Barry walked off to talk to Cisco and Caitlin while Kara skipped towards Alex who handed the bottle off to Harry. He didn't say anything besides raise the bottle towards Kara in a sign of affection. She happily smiled at Harry and looked at Alex, eyes watering still. She couldn't contain her excitement at all, and Alex was forced to wipe the tears streaming down her cheeks. She melted into her sisters touch and smiled deeply, beyond glad Alex was here to witness this moment.

"I'm so happy for you Kara. All I have ever wanted is for you to find the right person who values and adores you for the amazing woman that you are. And I reckon Barry is that guy," Alex looked over at Barry clapping Cisco's back happily as they shared a glass of champagne.   
"He loves you, and you love him. That's all I want for you, Kara. To be happy, and I'm so glad you and Barry found each other." Alex was crying now, and Kara gasped, quickly pulling her sister into one her sisters hugs. Those were the best kinds of hugs, and no one else's could compete.

They stood there, embracing each other for what felt like five seconds but it'd been in reality a few minutes. Both sisters were so happy, and Kara couldn't wait to tell Eliza the good news. Of course her adoptive-mother would be ecstatic to hear such wonderful news, and Barry would be welcomed with open arms to the family. Clark may have to give Barry a 'talking to' as he'd so gently put it. Kara laughed at the thought but was shaken out of her thoughts when Barry tapped her on the shoulder.

"Let's get some photos." Barry said happily, Kara looked down at her Supergirl outfit and zipped out of the room. About twenty seconds later she arrived back in wearing casual clothes, her hair in a ponytail, and her glasses pushed all the way up her nose. She rushed over to Barry's side and wrapped an arm around him.

"Say Supergirl!" Barry spoke through his teeth, and Kara began to laugh. Joe managed to capture a moment of them both laughing genuinely, and Barry finally had something permanent to cement his love for Kara's looks when she laughed, or was speaking passionately about something. It was a memento he'd never take for granted. The beauty captured in that one image was invaluable.

"So, Mr. Allen... Who's gonna be taking who's surname?" Kara titled her head with a cheeky grin and peppered his face with soft kisses. Barry squirmed but Kara held him firmly in place, making sure he couldn't escape her love. She giggled as Barry wrinkled his nose with a soft laugh, and Kara took his hand in hers.

"I could take yours? Kara Allen sounds alright." She whispered, and Barry shook his head. She raised a quizzical brow in response.

"How about... Kara Danvers-Allen? I think that sounds pretty cool if you ask me."

"Kara Danvers-Allen it is. I can't wait to tell Mom!"

"Well, Ms. Danvers-Allen, I can't wait either," Barry kissed her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	8. All The Kings Horses, All The Kings Men

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back for another round of sunshine, rainbows, ice cream, and puppies! This was one of the more difficult chapters to write, as I'm sure you'll understand soon. But I remember writing this so fondly, and I'm very proud of it. Ain't much else to say this time, so I'll let you get going! Enjoy, my readers!

Central City's criminals had suddenly decided it was time to come out of the shadows, and rear their ugly heads. Their had been multiple armed bank robberies, assaults, hostage situations, and an ARGUS truck being raided. Of course it would take a toll on anyone to have to clean all that up in under twelve hours, but Barry still couldn't find it within himself to feel anything but pure joy. Every time he saw Kara, she held a beautiful grin plastered across her face, as if the wind had changed and her face had become a permanent smile. She always fiddled with her ring when she thought no one else was looking, but Caitlin had been kind enough to point it out to Barry early on during the day.

Nearly about to call it a night, Barry walked into the Cortex and clapped Cisco on the back happily before sauntering into the centre. Of course being a Speedster meant you did everything fast but even so, Cisco was shocked to see Barry so energetic and upbeat. After Iris' disappearance, Barry had become rather cold, and distant. But once Kara showed up, and saved Iris, Barry was happier than ever. Even with the threat of the Reverse Flash and Reign looming over their heads, Barry was immensely happy, as was Kara. That was something, everyone else agreed, was contagious; and just a little intoxicating. 

"Good work out there today, man. Really showed 'em who's boss!" Cisco smiled, and Barry laughed, pulling down his cowl. His hair was a mess but that was to be expected after having leather crushing it down for twelve hours straight. Not many people could complain about that and not get weird looks from their grandmothers.

"Come on, let's go drink, I'm buying." Cisco moving to grab his jacket off the swivel chair, stopping when an alarm rang out, signify that they weren't going out for drinks. They had something else to attend to, and Cisco couldn't help but curse near silently under his breath.

"Heard that, Cisco!" Kara chirped from the corridor before happily skipping into the Cortex, standing next to Barry as Cisco looked at the monitors in front of him; pulling up the relevant information as to why the alarm decided to go off. She put her hands on her hips and turned her head to smile at Alex who walked in shortly after her, standing opposite the desk with her arms crossed.

"What've we got? Another bank robbery?" Kara asked, tilting her head. Cisco continued to type away at the keyboard in silence until he pulled up CCTV.

"No... I think it's... someone just broke into Dayton Opticals," Cisco scratched his head quizzically before looking at Barry and Kara. "Go get 'em. I doubt this'll take long." He smiled, and Barry nodded before pulling his cowl back up. He examined the CCTV and saw a shadowy figure examining crates that looked rather important. Dayton Optics were working on some seriously state of the art tech. Whatever they were working on could easily be mishandled in the wrong hands. 

"Let's go." Kara smiled and put her hand on Barry's shoulder. He nodded and zipped out of the Cortex and into the streets, Kara followed shortly after in a streak of blue, and red. Dayton Opticals wasn't too far away, and the SuperFlash couple were eager to curl up in bed for the night, watch some Netflix and cuddle up to each other. They had many seasons of the Office to binge together, and Kara was eager to get started. She'd watched them all with Alex once before but Barry had never seen them.

~~~

Upon arriving at Dayton Opticals, both the Scarlet Speedster and Girl of Steel noticed how eerily quiet it was. No alarms had been tripped, no signs of breaking and entering, even their glowing sign was a beacon of light amongst the darkness of the night sky. They slowly walked forward, keeping an eye out for any signs that might lead to the criminals that'd broken in. A place like Dayton Opticals didn't sound their alarms for no reason.

Sharing a look, Barry and Kara continued to slowly prowl forward. They could only hear their footsteps on the soaked concrete beneath them, splash's of water following their movements. Continuing to walk, Barry rolled his shoulders and let out a breath in irritation. Perhaps it was a false alarm after all, and both the heroes had wasted their time coming out here in the first place. Maybe the figure they saw was a trick of the light on the cameras.

"Why would someone break into Dayton Opticals at this time of night? Seriously." Barry scoffed, and Kara chuckled quietly. That was until she heard two approaching footsteps and steeled herself, Barry also dropped in a somewhat defensive stance, ready to run at a moments notice. Stepping out of the shadows was a woman in black and man in yellow. Kara and Barry immediately recognised their foes and they both took a sharp breath inwards, ready to fight.

"Because," Thawne's distorted voice broke the silence. "We knew it would bring you two." He said calmly, standing opposite Barry with his arms crossed over his chest. Despite the vibrations distorting his physical features, Barry could recognise that smug grin anywhere. Thawne was always smug despite having lost to Barry and the Legends multiple times. Although there was one secret left to tell, and Barry was almost afraid to ask.

"Who's face are you wearing this time, Thawne?" Barry barked, and Thawne pulled back his cowl, revealing the face of none other then Harrison Wells. The sight of it made Barry feel sick to the stomach but he didn't let it show on his face. That would be giving Thawne exactly what he wanted, and that monster had already taken enough from Barry in both the past, and the future.

"The face you were wearing when I became the Flash... Nice to see some things haven't changed at all." He quipped, and Thawne rolled his eyes, shaking his head in what appeared to be disappointment.

"I thought I'd put it on again. You know, for old times sake. Plus," Thawne waved his hand in front of his face as his eyes darkened. "Handsome." He added shortly afterwards. He could see the look of confusion on Barry's face and chuckled darkly, tipping his head back.   
"You saw me die. Or did you? You must be confused. Yes... I can see it in your eyes," Thawne growled, and Barry had to swallow the bile rising in the back of his throat. "Two words, Barry. Time. Travel. It's rather confusing, isn't it? But I'm happy to say I'm alive and well."

"Oh. Well I'm very sorry to hear that." Barry replied, using the same kind of humour to get back at Thawne, and to calm his nerves. This man had torn his life apart, multiple times. And here he was, alive and well. Barry could feel his anger rising, but the thought of Kara made him calm down. He couldn't lose his cool, Barry was better than that. And that's what she'd taught him. He turned his head to look at Kara who was scanning Reign for anything she could distinguish. It wasn't every day a Kryptonian from her Earth arrived to terrorise her fiancés ex-fiancé.

Standing opposite each other, the Girl of Steel and Tyrant of Terror stared into each other's eyes. Their fist both clenched, and their chins raised. Neither of them spoke for what felt like an eternity for Barry and Eobard. That was until Reign put her hand on her hip and tilted her head, looking Kara up and down as if she were disgusted by the site.

"How did you get here?" Kara called out, and Reign smiled. That seemed like a perfectly reasonable question to ask a woman of your kind when you thought the rest of your race — excluding your cousin — were dead; along with your planet. She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes in response, examining this Kryptonian carefully. It was only natural for Kara to be afraid, and something sinister about Reign terrified her to the core.

"I survived Krypton's death. Sent here upon its destruction."

"If that's true... then where have you been?" 

"Preparing to dispense justice. I have two Earths to cleanse of sinners, and I don't have time to deal with your petty heroics. Stand down," Reign took a step forward, clenching her fists. "Or I will make you join them in their purgatory." She growled, and Kara took a step forward, matching her stance, making it rather clear.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Mmff," Reign scoffed. "Then I'll dispense my justice upon you."

"Take. Your. Best. Shot."

"Oh," Reign cracked her neck, grinning. "You'll feel it." Then in the blink of an eye, Reign flew right at Kara and suddenly the two women were completely out of site. Thawne rushed at Barry but the Scarlet Speedster was fast enough to dodge his attack, sending them both Speedsters into a race, with Barry currently firmly holding the lead.

The Flash vs Reverse Flash, and Supergirl vs. Reign. 

~~~

Time was at a standstill as the two Speedster battled it out on the streets, throwing punches the other narrowly missed at speeds too fast for the human brain to comprehend. Currently, Barry held a firm lead over the rival Speedster, but Thawne wasn't so easily beaten. In order to garner a lead on Barry, Thawne zipped down a side street and cut a few milliseconds of his time, just enough to slide on his back and kick Barry's legs out from underneath him. The Scarlet Speedster went tumbling down the road, growling as his muscles ached after the impact. But before Thawne could grab him, Barry managed to pull himself to his feet and continue running throughout Central City.

Helicopters above could see streaks of yellow and red lightning trails throughout the streets, covering numerous blocks before the end of the trail faded. Central City was rather large, it's population around four million individuals but to a Speedster of the caliber that Barry and Thawne were, it was nothing more then a minuscule sandbox surrounded by water on three of four of its sides. Having no idea what Thawne's plan was, Barry formed his own. If he could take Thawne down and lock him in the pipeline, it would be the end of it forever. But life was never that simple, and Barry knew Thawne wasn't going down without a fight, and a good fight at that.

Luring Thawne towards S.T.A.R. Labs wasn't going to be an easy task, considering he built it from the ground up with his bare hands and the memories of a dead man. And Thawne knew this city like the back of his hand, Barry really had his work cut out for him. And it didn't help he had no idea where Kara was, and how her fight against Reign was going. But for now, Barry had to worry about keeping himself alive, and stopping Thawne before he hurt anyone else. 

Luckily Thawne seemed to be interested in following Barry, and as such the Scarlet Speedster could lure Thawne wherever he wanted. Taking him inside S.T.A.R. Labs would be putting his friends heads on the chopping block, and Barry wasn't about to risk anyone else's life. He decided luring him onto the roof was a way more preferable option and it wasn't too far away from the pipeline. Sprinting up the side of S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry skidded to a half on the rooftop and prepared to face down Thawne. 

"Well. Here we are," Thawne chuckled. "Feels like old times, doesn't it? Let me guess, I think you're planning on bringing me in?" He laughed coldly, and Barry's blood began to boil. How could a man be so infuriatingly smug for so long without so much a break of character. He clenched his fist and ran straight at Thawne, aiming a swift punch to his jaw. Thawne grabbed his fist and punched Barry in the gut, knocking him down. The Scarlet Speedster retaliated by punching him in the knee, and zipping behind him to deliver rapid fire blows all around Thawne who only managed to block one or two of the hundreds flying at him faster than the speed of light.

That was until Thawne clocked Barry right on the jaw, sending him stumbling backwards as his vision went blurry. He shook it off but not before Thawne ran straight at Barry, landing an intense punch to his gut. The momentum behind it sent Barry flying backwards off the roof, and landing on his back on the grass below. Groaning in pain, Barry tried to pull himself up but still reeling from the punch, and the fall, Barry wasn't getting up anytime soon.

Thawne ran down the side of S.T.A.R. Labs and right up to Barry, standing proud and tall over the fallen Speedster who was desperately trying to get back up. Pressing his boot into Barry's stomach, causing the Scarlet Speedster to gasp for air, Thawne pulled back his cowl to reveal the eyes of the man who murdered Barry's mother, and who was about to finish what he started that night.

"Every face has a finish line, Flash. This is yours." Thawne growled and his hand began to vibrate. He slowly lowered it towards Barry's chest, but just as it was about to pierce flesh and snuff out the spark that was Barry's existence, Thawne was suddenly flung away from Barry, and only a chill was left in his wake. Barry gasped and looked around, seeing Cisco and Caitlin standing only a few metres away, both their arms raised, ready to put Thawne in a world of hurt.

"What did I tell you two? Your lives are so much better," Thawne slowly pulled himself to his feet. "Because of me!"

"Stay down, Eobard, if you know what's good for you." Frost's icy voice broke the silence, her eyes a stark white as she glared at Eobard. It was a battle for the ages, speed vs. cold, and speed clearly had the advantage. Barry noticed Alex and Harry rush out, their guns trained on Thawne. If they were a flicker of lightning, it was game over for him.  
"Step away from the Scarlet Speedster." Frost growled, and Thawne chuckled in response, doing as requested and taking a few steps back. Cisco held his closed fist out, ready for anything.

"You shouldn't be worrying about me, Killer Frost. You all shouldn't be worrying about me," Thawne turned his attention to Barry, his look stern and unforgiving. "You should be worrying about your Kryptonian." Once the look of shock appeared on all their faces, Thawne used that moment to escape, zipping away before anyone could open fire, or open ice in Killer Frost's case.

Cisco rushed over and grabbed Barry's hand, helping the Scarlet Speedster to his feet and checking him for injuries. Barry silently confirmed his wellbeing but the look of worry on his face spoke otherwise. Alex quickly rushed over to him, the worry evident on her face as well. She was always the one in charge of Kara, and the thought of her being in trouble triggered something inside of Alex she would rather not feel. 

Dread.

"I'm gonna look for Kara, I promise I'll-" Barry was cut off by his phone ringing. Considering not checking it at all at first, Barry let it ring for a few seconds before deciding to at least check who it was. It was Oliver, and Barry raised a quizzical brow in response. Oliver didn't call very often, and usually not for the best reasons but perhaps this time was different. He answered the call and put the phone in the middle of the trio of Cisco, Alex, and Barry.  
"Hey, Ollie, what's up? Kinda busy right now-" Barry cut off by the sound of Oliver's heavy breathing, and the sounds of yelling in the background, as well as police sirens slowly getting louder by the second.

"Get to Star City. Now. It's..." Oliver paused, and Barry's heart sunk. "It's Kara."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	9. Couldn’t Put Me Back Together Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't keep you guys this time, I'm sure you're all eager to figure out what happened after that cliffhanger last chapter, so I'll let you do that! Enjoy, my readers!]

"How did you get here?" Kara called out, and Reign smiled. It seemed like a perfectly reasonable question to ask a woman of your kind when you thought the rest of your race — excluding your cousin — were dead; along with your planet. She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes in response, examining this Kryptonian carefully. It was only natural for Kara to be afraid, and something sinister about Reign terrified her to the core.

"I survived Kryptons death. Sent here upon its destruction."

"If that's true... then where have you been?" 

"Preparing to dispense justice. I have two Earths to cleanse of sinners, and I don't have time to deal with your petty heroics. Stand down," Reign took a step forward, clenching her fists. "Or I will make you join them in their purgatory." She growled, and Kara took a step forward, matching her stance, making it rather clear.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Mmphf," Reign scoffed. "Then I'll dispense my justice upon you."

"Take. Your. Best. Shot."

""Oh," Reign cracked her neck, grinning. "You'll feel it." Then in the blink of an eye, Reign flew right at Kara and suddenly the two women were completely out of site. Reign was pushing Kara through the skies, and the Girl of Steel couldn't do anything besides punch her in the hopes the Tyrant of Terror would loosen her grip enough to give Kara the freedom to escape her grasp. But there was no such luck, Reign held a firm grip with no signs of letting go, and Kara saw as they left the limits of Central City. But she recognised exactly where they were going, it was a path she'd flown once before, only in reverse.

Star City.

But it was in that moment Kara realised the Reverse Flash and Reign had split them up rather easily. Now they were a whole city apart, and facing their enemies alone. It was a clever trick used by predators for countless generations. Divide and conquer meant easy pickings for two individuals that would prove a challenge with their combined forces. A Speedster and Kryptonian were a formidable force together, but alone they could only do so much. She felt an intense amount of worry for Barry but she could only focus on taking down Reign for the moment, and Barry was more than capable of handling the Reverse Flash.

Reign managed to get a hold of Kara in a way that would make it easy to throw her, using her own weight against the Girl of Steel to send her flying into the concrete below; blowing a rather large hole in the middle of the road, and sending a parked car flying through the air. She flew towards the crater and threw a punch at Kara's head, sending her skull crashing against the concrete. The next punch didn't meet its mark, Kara caught the fist and used her other hand to deliver a right hook to Reign's temple. Luckily the impact dazed the Tyrant of Terror, and Kara managed to pull herself to her feet, firing her heat vision at the rival Kryptonian.

However, Reign was quick on the draw and fired back. But her beam wasn't blue like Kara had seen with every other Kryptonian, it was a deep red and it was far more powerful then anything Kara could muster. It sent her flying backwards, slamming into a building and tearing through multiple walls of glass, concrete, and steel. She pulled herself back up to her feet, seeing the confused looks of the numerous employees she'd scared the hell out of.   
Offering a wave of acknowledgement, Kara was about to fly back into the street when in the blink of an eye, Reign flew inside and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her into the air and subsequently slamming her back down into the floor, over and over and over again. She tossed Kara back into the street, and the Girl of Steel's body slammed into a car, totalling it completely almost instantly.

"Rao... give me... strength..." Kara muttered under her breath, pulling herself out of the car and back into the street. She stood up, slightly wavering in her stance. She looked around for any sign of Reign, but only saw a little girl hiding behind a car, considering running out into the street in perhaps a fools gambit to save her. She outstretched her hand and shook her head, pleading with the little girl not to come forward, and not to get involved.  
"Stay back! Don't-" Kara couldn't finish her demand before Reign crashed a pillar of concrete over the back of her head. It sent her tumbling into the concrete in a heap, feeling blood trickle down her forehead. She put her fingers and felt the fresh blood on her forehead, horrified at the sight of her own blood. Kryptonians didn't break, and they certainly didn't bleed.

"You're pathetic." Reign scoffed as she took another swing at Kara, but this time Kara managed to raise her arm and block the concrete. She ripped the pillar from her grasp and spun her body around, slamming it across Reign's face, and sending the Tyrant of Terror flying backwards. The momentum caused Kara to stumble and fall, barely holding herself up on her knees. She crawled up out of the crater, it's concrete sticking up on an angle Kara could climb up. She managed to get a foot hold and stand up. Her lip, eyebrow, and forehead bleeding heavily as she swayed side to side.

Something wasn't right, Kara could hear the sound of metal scratching against concrete. Her eyes went wide as Reign turned the corner, dragging around a car door, it's entire form up in flames as she dragged it, leaving small trails of fire behind her. She couldn't move out of the way in time, and Reign threw the car door right at her. It slammed into her knees and flipped her in the air. Before Kara had even made a three-sixty turn, Reign fired her heat vision directly at Kara, sending her flying across the sky, and Reign followed by taking off in flight.

Kara's near lifeless body slammed into the rooftop, tumbling across it as the stones were sent flying out of her path. She managed to stop herself, and gasp for air, feeling knees ache like there was no tomorrow. She heard the sound of someone landing beside her, and cracking the rooftop tiles beneath her. She felt the sense of dread wash over her, and with every footstep, all Kara wanted to do was cry out for help. But she was stronger than that, and Reign wasn't about to get the satisfaction of breaking the Girl of Steel.

"I'm gonna kill you." Reign hissed, stalking towards her, slowly. Kara pulled herself to her knees, and looked up at Reign was narrowed eyes. Her entire face was bruised, her eyes were purple all around, and her lip was busted. She could barely get herself to her knees, or form a coherent sentence.

"Y-You don't scare... you don't scare me!" Kara spat, blood landing in front of Reign's boots. The Tyrant of Terror merely laughed in response and knelt down to stare into Kara's eyes, revelling in the fear of the Kryptonian many treated as a literal god. She was no god, merely a woman who wasn't strong enough to save herself, or her speedster fiancé. 

"You're... a... monster... and I'm gonna stop... you..." Kara could feel the weakness consuming her, and she bowed her head in shame, and in fear. Reign laughed and picked her up by her outfit, hoisting Kara into the air with so much as breaking a sweat.

"Enough with the heroics. I'm here to help," Reign walked forward until Kara's body was dangling over the edge of the rooftop, her feet swaying in the breeze. "All I am is truth," She squeezed tighter, narrowing her eyes. "And judgement," Her lips pulled into a grotesque smile. "And death," She looked down at the streets back, and back up to Kara who was barely conscious. "And I will Reign!" She opened her fingers, and let Kara's body fall. She watched as the Kryptonian fell towards the concrete, and as her eyes closed for the last and final time. 

As the Girl of Steel fell, Kara felt terrified. She fell, listening to the sounds of the whistling of the cold and lonely wind. She'd failed to stop Reign, and now Earth-1 and Earth-38 were going to burn because of her. But the one thing she could think of most of all was how lonely Alex was going to be. She'd lost Maggie, Jeremiah, and now Kara. Of course Kara felt selfish for leaving Alex behind but it wasn't by choice. She just hoped Barry would be strong enough to comfort Alex in her time of need, and keep her from falling back into her old habits. She just wanted Alex to be happy, with or without her.

"Sorry, sis." Kara muttered as she fell, feeling herself being pulled closer to the ground. Despite the pain surging through her body like a storm, she could only feel one thing, the weight of her engagement ring on her finger. She smiled as she tensed her ring finger, feeling a content feeling wash over. She'd known love, and that was more than could be said for a lot of people. In her final moments, Kara felt grateful for the love Barry had given her, and felt a relief she'd die knowing she was loved by so many and so much. She'd lost her entire world, but she'd found one on Earth. She closed her eyes, and waited for the embrace of death to take her. Closing her eyes, the entire world went black. 

Bang.

~~~

Arriving at the scene seconds later, Barry noticed Oliver was kneeling beside Kara. People were all staring, unsure of who this mysterious hero was, and who the mysterious villain that had beaten her was. He'd done a good job of keeping them back so far, but Barry wasn't interested in that. He knelt beside Kara and felt her neck, checking for a pulse. It was weak, but it was there, and Barry let out a sigh in relief. That was when Oliver put a hand on Barry's shoulder, eyes stern and lips pursed.

"Run, Barry. Run." Oliver whispered, and Barry got the message. He scooped up Kara in his arms carefully, worried he might cause further damage if he wasn't careful, and ran back to S.T.A.R. Labs. Oliver knew the SCPD weren't for away and fired an arrow into the sky, using a grappling arrow to sail off into the sky, away from the public and more importantly, away from the police. Wondering if Kara was okay, Oliver decided it was best to check up on them soon. For now, Oliver had to get back to the Bunker and deposit his gear.

As Barry ran back to S.T.A.R. Labs, all the Scarlet Speedster could feel was endless dread. His heart was racing faster than normal, and he'd never felt slower in his life. But before he knew it, Barry was back inside S.T.A.R. Labs, carrying Kara bridal style. He stepped into the Cortex and rushed Kara over to their only medical bed. Caitlin and Alex rushed to assess Kara's injuries, Cisco tried to pull Barry away from the horrific site. Alex pushed a tube down Kara's throat to help her breath, and hooked her up to the heart rate monitor. It was slow, but it was there.

"Stay with me, Kara. Stay with me." Alex muttered under her breath, looking at Kara's vitals and moving around her body. Caitlin was doing the same, but they shared a look that terrified Barry to the core. He couldn't believe it. It was all a set up to divide and conquer, and Barry had run right into their trap. This was about getting Kara out of the way, and Barry had failed to protect her. He'd failed to protect the love of his life from his worst enemy,  
"Kara! Just hold on, sis... Kara I need you!" Alex pleaded as both doctors tried their best to work their magic on Kara, but the situation was pretty clear. Kara's injuries were severe, Barry could see that first hand.

Tears streamed down Barry's face as he stared at Kara's near lifeless body, praying to the Speed Force that she'd pull through. Cisco continued to try and pull Barry away, but he managed to shrug off his best friends grasp, moving closer towards Kara. He could hear Alex and Caitlin talking but he couldn't understand them, only the heart rate monitor that was slowing down. He shook his head frantically, and Harry joined in, trying to drag Barry away from Kara before things went south. That's when they all heard it, and their entire world exploded. The heart rate monitor flatlined, and Barry broke free of Cisco and Harry's grasp.

"NO!" 

That sound meant only one thing.

Kara Danvers was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	10. Mourning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Get the tissue box ready, because we're going on an emotional roller coaster! It was rather hard to write this chapter, as I had to imagine how all of these characters would react to such a tremendous loss. But I feel I captured it accurately, and I hope you all enjoy it. Lemme know your thoughts, and if you wanna stake me through the heart for this one. Enjoy!

Time was at a complete and utter stand still. Barry would've thought he'd entered Flashtime except for the fact he was sitting on his knees, eyes full of tears, coupled with a thousand yard stare. He couldn't help but wish will all his might that this was a nightmare, and that he'd wake up laying next to Kara who was sleeping soundly, with her arms wrapped around him. It was a nice fantasy, and brought but a moment of comfort for the heartbroken Scarlet Speedster. He saw Alex collapsed to the floor, staring at the blood on her hands, Kara's blood on her hands. Caitlin quickly rushed to comfort Alex despite the tears streaming down her own cheeks.

if it weren't for the insistent beep of the heart rate monitor which signalled the severe lack of a heartbeat, and the blood stains all over her suit, Kara would have looked peaceful. In a way she was peaceful, but in a way that no one could appreciate. Kara Zor-El, Last Daughter of Krypton was dead, and there was nothing anyone could do. Two Earths had lost a major symbol of hope, and it would start to show once the news went public. But that was the last thing on Barry's mind at the moment. He slowly pulled himself to his feet, barely able to stand due to the trembling in his knees. 

Stumbling over to Kara felt like it took an eternity, and with every step there was a sudden hope which was quickly quelled that Kara would open her eyes and sit up. But that miraculous moment never came to pass, and Kara laid there still as a statue. He put a hand on the railing of the bed, and clenched his fist around it. The insistent beeping of the heart rate monitor was about to push him to insanity but Harry unplugged the machine, and Barry looked up with a grateful nod, and felt a hand rest on his shoulder briefly.

"I'm sorry, Allen." Harry frowned, and walked out of the Cortex, possibly to process. But either way, Barry appreciate the gesture of kindness. From the other side of the table, Barry could hear Alex sobbing tragically, mourning the loss of her sister. After losing two parents, and several friends, Barry thought he'd heard the sound of heartbreak, but Alex had redefined the word in such devastating way. It was almost too much to bare for the Scarlet Speedster but he couldn't abandon Kara; nor Alex who had more of a right to be devastated than anyone. Kara was the woman he loved, but she was also Alex's sister and they were inseparable, partners in crime, and two peas in a pod. 

Barry rested his head on Kara's forearm, crying into her sleeve as the gravity of the situation finally set in, and the hope dispersed like breath on a mirror. He sat there, sobbing into her arm as waves of sadness crashed into him, over and over again. It was an unending barrage of pain, and it hurt like there no was no tomorrow. But that didn't stop Barry from grabbing Kara's hand, desperately begging her to wake up.

"Kara... come on, Kara... don't leave me," Barry begged, squeezing her hand as tight as he could, desperate to feel a flicker of movement. "Kara! O-Open your eyes Kara! Open your.... open your eyes, please I- I can't do this without you!" His words were muffled by the material of her sleeve, but they were still clear as day to everyone around him. Unbeknownst to Barry, Alex was doing the same thing on the other arm, whimpering similar requests which were never fulfilled. They were both so stricken by grief the mere knowledge of the impossible things they'd seen was killing them inside. People had come back from the dead before, it wasn't unheard of.

"Barry, let her go." Barry was more than a little shocked to hear Oliver's voice, so collected but with a hint of sadness seeping through. Most people would think he was cold, and unforgiving but Barry knew better. Oliver was trying to be strong for everyone else, because he could mourn in his own time. He had a way of suppressing his emotions temporarily, and it was both a blessing and a curse.  
"I'm sorry, Barry. But she's gone, and there's nothing..." Oliver took a pause, and sighed. "Nothing any of us can do for her." He frowned and squeezed Barry's shoulder but the Speedster shrugged him off, stomping into the centre of the Cortex and digging his fingers into his scalp.

"W-What if the Legends went back in time? You know, save her from Reign! If they do that then she'll never..." Barry was frustrated by the sight of Oliver's frown, and even more so by his sigh of irritation. "Ollie I can do this! I can save Kara! I just need to send an S.O.S. to the Legends! They'll come, and I can... i can fix this!" Barry was delusional, and Oliver raised his hand to stop Barry's rambling on, for his sake and for Alex's. There was no point in getting her hopes up.

"Barry! Stop. Kara is gone, and I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. But she wouldn't want this." Oliver pointed to her. "She would want us to grieve respectfully, and continue the fight. Not screw the timeline up for selfish reasons. Slow down, and take a breath, Barry. Don't do anything-" Oliver saw a flicker of lighting, and just as he lunged forward to stop Barry from making a huge mistake, an icy blast blew right past him, and slammed into Barry. It's momentum sent Barry was flying backwards, crashing into the ground with a thud and falling unconscious. But that part may have been out of exhaustion rather than anything else. He spun on his heels to see Killer Frost standing there, hands raised with an icy mist emitting from them.

"We all knew how that would turn out." Frost shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. Oliver looked over at Barry and gave her a nod of approval. He'd have shot Barry himself if it came down to it, at least this way Barry couldn't complain about it feeling weird when it rains.   
"I'll get him to the pipeline, it's safer that way." If Oliver wasn't mistaken, Killer Frost spoke with a hint of remorse and sadness in her voice. It wasn't as sultry or smooth as it usually was, it was more filled with regret. Oliver moved past Frost to comfort Alex. He placed a hand on her back and rubbed a soothing circular pattern as she sobbed into her sisters sleeve. He felt her pain many times over, but the hard inescapable truth was daunting.

It doesn't get any easier.

~~~

Hours later, S.T.A.R. Labs was still reeling from the loss of the Girl of Steel. No one uttered a single word since Barry was rendered unconscious by Killer Frost — which was for everyone's sake — and the atmosphere was rather tense. Cisco and Caitlin had retired to their respective apartments, but the duo had set up a cot for Alex once, or if she decided to retire that night for some rest. No one expected Alex to sleep at all for quite a while, but the gesture was in good will, and luckily Alex had seen it that way. She hadn't lashed out when Cisco and Caitlin said they were going home for the night; instead nodded silently at the sight of the cot and went back to resting her head on Kara's arm, her tears long since dried up. 

In the Pipeline, Oliver was fiddling with an arrow as he waited for Barry to wake up, and immediately question why he was trapped inside the Pipeline. It wasn't a conversation Oliver was looking forward to having, if he could even call it a conversation. It was going to end up in a one way screaming match, with Barry unleashing his grief on Oliver, but the Emerald Archer was more than equipped to handle it. He'd taken a lot worse from Barry than a low blow to his ego. 

Truth be told, Oliver wouldn't blame Barry at all. Grief did strange things to people, and Oliver would be rather vexed if the roles were reversed. Laurels death had weighed on Oliver, and Sara, a lot. Oliver had to resist the urge to throw away everything he'd spent the last four years trying to achieve, and Sara had to resist screwing up the timeline just to bring Laurel back. If not for Ray, and the Legends Sara may have done just that. But the important thing was they'd both fought the darkness, but they didn't do it alone. And that's why Oliver was putting off the grieving period, Barry couldn't do this alone, and no one knew the anger and guilt of losing a loved one more than Oliver Queen.

Oliver looked up to see Barry slowly waking from his slumber, eyes flickering until they finally opened, and Barry registered where he was. Instinctively, Barry slammed his hands into the glass of the cell until he saw Oliver standing there, lips pursed, chin raised, trying to look authoritative. The Emerald Archer wanted to cringe at the sight of Barry's eyes growing darker, and his facial expression falling. He looked furious, and all Oliver could do was wait out of the storm. Letting Barry get underneath his skin was not an option, and Barry knew exactly how to do that. 

"How are you feeling?" Oliver asked, raising an eyebrow at Barry. His slid his arrow back into his quiver and gently put his bow against the wall to his left, never breaking eye contact with Barry. He noticed how devoid of emotion Barry looked, and how almost inhuman the look in his eye was. He'd seen that look before, but not to this extent. It made his gut twist, but didn't show it on the outside. Any sign of weakness would make this situation a whole lot more harder, and it wasn't going to be easy to begin with.

"Let me out, Oliver. Now. I have to stop them before they hurt everyone else!" Barry slammed his fist into the glass, but Oliver didn't flinch. He slammed both his hands against the glass, a futile attempt to break free. It wasn't going to work, Barry was staying in there until Oliver and the rest of Team Flash deemed it fit to release him. It wasn't the first time they'd had to do this, but hopefully it might be the last.

"Why did you put me in here? You... Ollie, they're out there hurting people! Kara's dead, and I- I have to stop them! You've gotta let me out!" Barry's voice lowered, and tears started to flow, Oliver felt pity, but didn't budge. He wasn't going to let him out, but telling him the truth seemed like the best course of action.

"Because you're hurting, Barry, and I'm sorry but we both know what you were about to do." Oliver allowed a hint of empathy to seep into his voice, offering Barry at least some comfort. But it wouldn't ease the pain of the knife being twisted in his back. Barry had every right to feel betrayed, and it was going to be a while before he understood that this was — in fact — for his own good. Even if it didn't seem like it at that moment. Barry turned around and slammed his fists into the wall behind him, crying out in fury as he he unloaded a brutal barrage into the padded wall.  
"Barry," Oliver tried, Barry didn't stop. "Barry," Oliver tried again, and Barry didn't respond. "Barry! Look at me," Finally, Barry turned to look at Oliver and crossed his arms. "We're gonna talk this out, Barry. Just you and me, and I'll let you out once we've talked. Alright? That's it. Let's just talk about this, Barry. Let me help you, before you drown." Oliver's words were sincere, and Barry sat down on the floor, leaning his head back and resting it against the back wall, sighing.

"Fine."

~~~

Another long day on the Waverider, and Sara was rather beat. She crumpled up into bed, and kicked off her boots. She didn't much care to get changed, in fact Sara didn't much care about anything anymore. A run in with the Death Totem, and forcing your one shot at happiness out of your life in order to protect them would have that effect on you. Getting changed out of her dirty White Canary outfit was the least of her worries. She placed her head against the pillow, and felt the opposite side of the bed. It was unnaturally gold, and Sara hated it. But she knew it was for the best, Ava wasn't expendable and Sara was known to let people around her die. She wasn't going to risk Ava's life for a selfish and childish need. 

Despite the fact that Sara was exhausted, the White Canary couldn't bring herself to sleep. The nightmares were too much, and drinking with only Gideon to keep her company seemed like a smart move at the time. She hauled herself out of bed and slipped her boot back on, knowing the Waverider had a rather cold floor, despite Gideon's insisting that the heating was quite operational. She opened the door and took a sharp turn towards the captains quarters, knowing any old booze wasn't going to do this. This was a 'drinking scotch in the dark and alone' kind of night.

Walking into the captains quarters and crashing into one of the old leather army chairs Rip left behind, Sara grabbed and poured herself a glass of scotch, downing the entire thing in one go, hissing at the sharp burn that felt as if it were peeling the skin off the inside of her throat. But she welcomed the pain none the less, it was a short break from the harsh reality she found herself in. Her team was afraid of her, and even more afraid of Mallus. Team morale was at an all time low, and Sara wasn't in the right mind set to reverse the damage. She was only in the mindset to drink away her sorrows until they screwed things up and beat Mallus by accident. 

"Are you there, Gideon?" Sara whispered into her glass, feeling her eyes well with tears. She didn't want to be alone, but she didn't want the rest of the Legends to see her so utterly miserable. She didn't deserve their sympathy, not after nearly killing Ray. It wasn't fair to force her problems onto them, Sara worked better alone. She always had done after Lian Yu. Anyone who went near her got hurt, in one way or the other. The Legends didn't deserve such an awful excuse of a human being to lead them, John Constantine would be a better fit and he had his own mess of darkness inside of him.

"I'm here, Captain." Gideon returned, her voice lower than usual. For an A.I. with no understanding of human emotions, Gideon was rather clever when it came to picking up social cues. Drinking in the dark meant sad, enjoying private time with Ava meant happy. It was rather simple when you broke it down into a yes or no equation. Sara half smiled at the voice, leaning back into her chair with a loud sigh, and poured herself another glass, topping it up a little further this time. She downed the glass once more, and groaned as the pain only got worse. It was bitter sweet to endure, but Sara didn't really care all that much.

"You always are. Thank you." Sara muttered into her glass, preparing to pour herself another glass when Gideon made a sound, which garnered Sara's attention. It was on the same level as a whistle or a click of the fingers, and it made Gideon all the more unique.  
"What is it, Gideon? I really can't be bothered dealing with another-" Before she could finish, an image of Oliver Queen appeared in the centre of the captains quarters, standing opposite side of the desk. His Hood was down, and his eyes held a deep pain. Sara recognised that look anywhere, and she frowned. Was it Quentin?  
"Hey, Ollie, what's up? Everything okay?" Sara was grateful Oliver couldn't smell the alcohol on her breath, otherwise he may have been disappointed in her. She tried to make her voice sound calm and collected, but it was harbouring a deep pain that Oliver would be able to pick up on. She just hoped he wouldn't press on it.

"Hey, Sara. Long time no see, I uh... How are you doing? Is anyone with you, or?" Oliver noticed how disheveled Sara looked and offered her a chance to explain. Which of course she would immediately turn down, but arguing with her was the last thing on his mind. He was just worried that now wasn't a good time to break the heartbreaking news to her, and burden her with informing the Legends.

"What's going on, Ollie? Just cut the crap, please," Sara paused, and rubbed her eye. "It's been a long day, and I'm tired." Technically that was true, but exempting her drinking seemed like the smart move at the time. She put a hand on her hip, and titled her head. Her flowing blonde locks rolled done her left side as she stared at Oliver curiously.

"There's no easy way to say this, Sara. And I'm sorry if it's a bad time, but I thought I should be the one to inform you," As Oliver spoke, Sara felt sick to the stomach. She couldn't stand the thought of losing her parents, not after Laurel. She'd already lost too much. "There was... an altercation between Kara and another Kryptonian who calls herself Reign. It didn't... Sara I... I'm sorry, Sara. But Kara is dead." He felt his heart ache with his own words, and even more so with the look of horror, disbelief, and anger that appeared on Sara's face.

Sara stepped back weakly, and slumped into her chair. She saw Oliver wiping his eye of a lone that managed to break through his usual crusty exterior. She ran a hand through her hair, and dug her nails into her scalp. This was a bad dream, Ava was lying next to her, and she'd wake up any minute now. She just needed to wake up, and free herself of this prison. But unfortunately this prison was here to stay.

"How are... Oh, God, how are Alex and Barry doing?" Sara mumbled under her breath, but Oliver managed to catch it. He scratched his beard and looked around awkwardly as if he were actually standing inside the Waverider, instead of in S.T.A.R. Labs around the corner from Barry was who locked in the Pipeline, and down the hall from Alex clutching Kara's dead body.

"Not well, Alex refuses to step away from Kara, and Barry is... locked in the Pipeline." Oliver said, almost ashamed of himself. But Sara was a little relived to hear that Barry wasn't about to cause another aberration, and bring Mallus one step closer to his freedom. She felt truly sorry for him, losing a loved one hurt like there no was no tomorrow, but changing the timeline to bring them back was not an acceptable course of action, despite the fact that it felt so tempting.

"I'm keeping an eye on both of them. I just... I just thought I'd call ahead, make sure you hear it from someone you trust. I'll let you process, Sara. It was nice to see you." Oliver smiled weakly, and Sara returned it. 

"Take care of yourself, Ollie."

"You too, Sara."

As soon as the image of Oliver disappeared from view, Sara burst into tears and fell to her knees. That's when she heard footsteps coming from elsewhere, closing in on her location. But she didn't care if it were Ray or Darhk. Luckily for her, it wasn't Darhk, it was Ray. He rushed to her side and wrapped an arm around her. She wanted to scream and shove him away, but she was too exhausted. She cried into his chest, and clung to him for dear life. Just another lose to add to the list, and perhaps it was one too many. 

"Hey, hey, Sara. It's okay, it's okay." Ray tried to be soothing, and Sara did appreciate the effort despite the fact that it wasn't working at all. No one had the perfect words to cleanse her pain, but it was a kind gesture that they at least tried. She heard another set of footsteps approaching, and she didn't even need to ask who it was. They made themselves known rather quickly, and proposed an offer she couldn't refuse.

"Oh, Cap'n, let's go have a drink and talk 'bout our feelin's, aye?" Constantine called out, and Sara looked up at him. She nodded and Ray helped her to feet. She tiredly limped out of the captains quarters, John and Ray shared a look.

"I got 'er, mate. Get some shut eye, I'll handle this broken soul." He smiled, and Ray nodded in agreement. Before he left, Constantine grabbed the bottle of scotch and jogged after Sara, fully intending to both help her grieve, and get hammered at the same time. You gotta find someone to make terrible situations all that better, and seducing Sara again would be a death sentence. Only person touching her and keeping there head was Ava once the finally pulled their act together.  
"Oi, cap'n, I ain't got young a legs as I bloody well used to." Constantine called out, groaning audibly.

This was going to be a rather long night.

~~~

Back in the Pipeline, Oliver turned the corner to see Barry pacing back and forth, his closed fist covering his mouth, and tears were streaming down his cheeks. As much as Oliver wanted to let Barry out, and let him be with Joe, and Iris, Barry had proven time and time again that he couldn't be trusted to make rational and critical decisions when he was stricken with grief, but Oliver didn't blame him. He pitied him, but another Flashpoint was the last thing anyone needed. 

"The Legends know, 'bout Kara. I'll let Dig and Felicity know later. How're you holding up, Bar?" Oliver asked, standing in front of the cell with his hands behind his back. He frowned when Barry lunged at the glass, eyes full of fury. But he didn't flinch, only raise his chin. Antagonizing Barry would expel his rage in a quick and easy war to manage, and Oliver had taken a lot worse.

"How do you think I feel? Oh, I forgot. Ollie can't feel a thing! You don't even care, do you?" Barry snarled, and Oliver internally winced, reminding himself it was only the grief talking, and this would fade.

"No. You don't. You have no idea what I'm going through!" Out of all the words ever spoken by Barry, those were the furthest from the truth. Oliver could call Death an old friend if he only stuck around for a beer once or twice.

"Yes. I do. Kara was my friend, Barry. And I'm hurt by her loss, but I can't afford to lose my head. You said it yourself; the Speedster and Reign are still out there. Right now, we can mourn. But later, we have to fight. No do-overs, no second chances, and no giving up. You taught me that, Barry. Don't want to listen to me? Fine. Listen to yourself." Oliver spoke calmly, and Barry's demeanor changed drastically, slumping his head and letting it rest against the glass.  
"She was my friend too, Barry. And I cannot express how much I'm hurting, but I'm thinking rationally. I have too."

"Alex is going to have to tell her Mum..." Barry whispered softly, and Olivet felt true anguish. "It's funny, I never met her, and she's not Kara's biological parent, but I felt a connection to her. Like she was going to be a part of my life." Barry sat down in the cell, a hand over his mouth.

"I failed her, Ollie! What kind of a man, let alone a hero, am I if I can't protect the woman that I... that I love." Oliver had felt everything that Barry was going through countless times over, but he still felt pity for the Scarlet Speedster.

"We fight to protect the people that we love." Oliver replied, and raised an eyebrow. Barry closed his eyes and balled his hands into fists.  
"Do you remember what I told on that rooftop in Star City? You told me you didn't believe in yourself because you screwed up. And I said if you're really gonna do this, you're gonna make mistakes. I've made mistakes. But the good you do will far outweigh the bad, and that you could be a better hero than I ever was, or could be. I still believe that, Barry. You're no less a man, or a hero. You're still the same man Kara loved." Oliver hated using  
the past tense of the word love but carried on. "You're still the Flash."

Barry chuckled lowly, and hummed in acknowledgement. And was surprised to see Oliver reaching towards the door controls and entering a passcode. The doors opened, and Barry stepped out slowly, unsurely. Oliver nodded to him and outstretched his hand with a soft smile. That's all he needed to say, and Barry was done lashing out, Oliver could see that clear as day. That was far easier than Oliver had previously anticipated.

"Go be with your family, Barry." Barry smiled and shook his hand, walking out the Pipeline but zipping out of S.T.A.R. Labs at ridiculous speeds. Oliver sighed and followed in his footsteps, but turned the corner earlier, and walked back into the Cortex. Someone needed to comfort Alex, and the weight of the world always fell on Olivers shoulders. It was just part of being Oliver Queen, and the Green Arrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	11. Carry On In Her Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So, I need to give a shoutout to Sydneys2003 for inspiring Crisis On Earth-1! Now that I'm finally past the threshold, I can say how she did it. https://youtu.be/6SHOrv_U8tU this is the video that she made which inspired this. Her content is phenomenal, both as a writer and editor. She's been so kind, and so supportive of my work since I told her about it. Go and give her some love, because she bloody well deserves it! Now then, on with the show!

Eliza always enjoyed her peace and quiet, and Midvale was about as peaceful and quiet as you could possibly get. Their property was shielded from view by pine trees reaching up into the sky, and their balcony overlooked a beautiful part of the forest Kara and Alex used to always run around in; either playing hide and seek or tag during their weekends. It had all the essential businesses not too far away, and Eliza was more than happy to take a drive into the heart of town and run errands throughout her day to keep herself occupied.

Since both Kara and Alex had left years ago, Eliza found the house to rather too big for her needs, but couldn't bring herself to move. It held to many memories; Clark discovering how to use his powers, Kara and Alex growing up and learning to accept one another despite their shortcomings, and Jeremiah being so excited to finally open the door for the first to the home he'd worked so hard to earn. It wasn't the house that was hard to give up, but the emotional weight it carried on its shoulders.

Sitting down for the evening, Eliza opened her book, 'The Red Queen' and pulled the bookmark out, gently setting it beside her as she began to read. It was a rather enjoyable book thus far, and Eliza was throughly engrossed. She'd lost many hours into this book previously, and this night seemed to be no different. She sipped her tea absentmindedly as she turned the page, adjusting her reading glasses she'd developed a need for in the last few years. She'd prefer not having to wear them at all but they were necessary, and the compliments she'd received on them after she first starting wearing them weren't opposed.

Eliza was quite comfortably content, that is until there was a knock at the door, causing Eliza to quirk a brow. She took her glasses off her face, and rested them safely on top of the book, leaving it open and face down where she'd been sitting. She quickly moved towards the door, and peered through the peephole Alex had demanded she install after she moved out of home, in order to keep her mother safe. Not much of a surprise to find out that it was Alex on the other side of the door, with her hands firmly gripped on her belt. Eliza happily swung the door open, and smiled at her daughter, but Alex looked less than happy to be there. It was unnatural to see Alex so dull, and void. 

"Alex! What're you doing here, sweetheart?" Eliza asked, and Alex merely shook her head. She closed her eyes, and tears seeped through the gaps in her eyelids. Eliza felt her stomach knot, she'd seen the look on Alex's face once more, the look of regret and guilt one had when they had to explain to someone that their loved one wasn't coming home. But if Alex had that look on her face, it could only mean one thing.

"Kara... Alex," Eliza's voice wavered. "Where's Kara? Is she safe?" She mumbled, and clenched her fist. 

"Mom, I'm sorry."

"No. No, no, Alex. Tell me this is a joke. Tell me you're pulling my leg." Eliza demanded, her voice turning stern. But Alex did no such thing, and the realisation hit Eliza like a freight train at full speed. She put her hand over her mouth, and closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears to avail. It was useless.  
"No! No! No!" Eliza pleaded to anyone who would listen, and fell forwards in her shock. Luckily Alex managed to catch her, and hold her weight. She held her Mom in her arms as the eldest wept for the lose of her daughter, and felt the pain she'd prayed she'd miss. Kryptonians often outlived humans, and it — was once — absurd to think that she would outlive her Kryptonian daughter. Eventually Alex managed to help Eliza up and shuffled her into the house, peering over her shoulder at Oliver who stood, leaning on the car door. She nodded, Oliver nodded back. And with that, Alex went inside to comfort, and explain the situation to her mother. This was already hard enough, and Alex dreaded having to tell Clark the awful truth.

Oliver wiped a tear from his eye and reached into his jacket pocket for his phone. The wind started to pick up, and Oliver went back inside the car and closed the door, leaning his head against the leather of the seat with a loud sigh. He remembered how hard it was telling Moria that Robert didn't make it, and that was over the phone. In person, Oliver may not have been able to find the words. He shot off a text to Cisco and stared at the phone, awaiting a reply.

"How's Barry?" - 5:27 PM

Cisco Ramon: "Haven't seen him since yesterday, I think he's with Joe and Iris." - 5:27 PM

"Good. He needs his family, more than ever. I have one more stop left to make, once it's done I'll let you know." - 5:28 PM

Cisco Ramon: "How's Alex?" - 5:28 PM

"Not good. I think Mrs. Danvers took it hard, but I can't blame her." - 5:28 PM

Cisco Ramon: "Okay, let me know when you need a ride home." - 5:29 PM

"Will do. Keep an eye on Caitlin, I know it's hard to lose someone you tried to save. She needs you." - 5:30 PM

Oliver put his phone back in his pocket, and leaned his head down until it rested against the steering wheel with a loud groan. He hasn't slept in ages, and all this pain and misery surrounding him was wearing on him dearly. But he could cry at the funeral, for now Alex needed someone to be there for her. And somehow she'd decided to open herself up to Oliver despite them previously never having met. Grief did strange things to people, and Oliver knew that better than anyone.

~~~

Flying in through the open window of his apartment, Clark was glad to be back on solid ground. After nearly three hours of constantly flying around Metropolis, suffice to say the Man of Steel needed a break. Coupled with the intense assignment Perry White had dropped in his lap only this morning, which was due twenty-four hours from then, and you had a very stressed Son of Krypton. He changed back into his average attire, but left out the tie. It was a required article of clothing at the Daily Planet but Clark had fondly called it a 'neck trap'. 

Entering their bedroom, Clark smiled fondly at Lois who was neck deep in books, researching heavily for her latest assignment. She briefly looked up and brushed her black bangs to the side with a sweet smile, noticing how tired Clark looked after a busy day as both Clark Kent and Superman. She patted the bed beside her, but went back to her work. Some company wouldn't be unopposed. He smiled in return and sat down beside her, peering over her shoulder at her work to which she smacked his nose with a rolled up piece of paper. Of course it did nothing but Clark feigned pain which prompted a smile from his better-half.

"You are such a baby sometimes," Lois chuckled, leaning in to kiss Clark with a grin. He returned the kiss and fiddled with his glasses. "This is a secret, I'll let you read it when it's done. No peeking!" She playfully growled, and Clark laid back on the bed, rolling his eyes fondly. She was always protective over her work, but it was just one of her many quirks. He wasn't so curious as to go behind her back and read what she'd written currently, but a few well placed glances weren't out of the question in his mind.

"Had a good day?" She asked, sticking her pen behind her ear as she licked her finger to turn the page of the book she was already deep into, glancing at Clark as he exaggerated a groan for comedic effect.

"Can I quit being a reporter? I mean, you earn enough to support us, right?" Clark chuckled, but Lois gave him a death stare. He backed up on his point and raised his hands in surrender. She gently kicked him and he feigned pain once more, to which she responded to by kicking him harder.

"Okay, okay! It was good. I'm just a little tired, I might try and smash out my article tonight and just-" There was a knock at the door, and Clark scanned it. He hoped up with a smile and turned to Lois"  
"It's Alex, excuse me." He walked through the living room and into the foyer, to where he twisted the door knob. He pulled it open with a massive smile, always pleased to see Alex. 

"Alex, hi. What brings you to Metropolis?" He gestured for her to enter as he stepped away from the doorway, and Alex silently entered. He could hear her heartbeat, but tired to not let it worry him. Maybe she just had a lot on her mind.

"Clark... it's... I need to tell you something," Alex pointed to the couches nearby, and frowned. "Maybe we should... sit down. Okay?" She walked over to the couches and sat down, her heart rate picking up. It was almost deafening to Clark but the thoughts rushing through his mind were getting worse by the second, and drowned out the noise.  
"Okay... um..." Alex didn't know how to put this, and it never got easier. "Kara and I went over to Barry's Earth to help find someone. But while we were there, another Kryptonian from this Earth showed up. She calls herself Reign. And she's very powerful, Clark. More powerful then Kara-"

"No. Kara's stronger."

"Clark. Please. Listen to me," Alex noticed Lois enter the room, who nodded at the Danvers. "Please."

"What happened? Is Kara okay?"

"There was a fight, and Kara was badly injured. Barry brought her back to S.T.A.R. Labs for Doctor Caitlin Snow and myself to operate on. But her injures were severe, and I- There was nothing we could... I'm so sorry, Clark." Alex started to cry, and felt herself tremble. She felt guilty above all else.   
"Kara's gone, and I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Alex started to sob, and instead of Clark storming off or firing his heat vision wildly until he solar flared, the Man of Steel rushed to hug her. She didn't know how to respond at first but placed her arms on his back, feeling him tried to resist the urge to sob into her shoulder. But he failed, and they both cried into each other.   
"It's all my fault! I'm sorry, Clark! It's my fault!" She screamed, and Clark shook his head as best he could given his position.

"If you... couldn't save her, Alex. If you couldn't save her, no one could. Kara wouldn't want you blaming yourself, I know that for a fact." Clark spoke through the tears, and pulled away to stare at Alex who could barely meet his gaze. He wiped a tear from her eye, as well as one of his own and wiped them off on the fabric of the couch.  
"This is no ones fault but Reigns, you have no reason to blame yourself for this, Alex. I don't blame you, at all. You did your best, and I think Kara would be proud of you." He whispered, and went back to embracing her. She sobbed into his jacket, as well as Clark did into her coat. They sat there, sobbing until al their tears tried up as Lois stood there, hand over her mouth, unable to comprehend the situation all at once. Her heart ached not only for Kara, but for the pained sobs of her loved ones. She'd never seen Clark this shattered before, and somehow he was being strong for Alex. 

~~~

Back on Earth-1, Barry pulled his hood down as he approached Joe's door, reaching underneath the doormat for the spare key the West's kept there in case of emergencies. He slide the key into the lock, and twisted it. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, tossing his jacket over the back of the couch, and feeling an awful sense of dread wash over him. He stumbled to the stairs and slumped down, making a rather loud bang as he did so. Wincing at the noise, Barry put his head in his hands and awaited the inevitable arrival of either Iris, or Joe. Or both if he was unlucky. He wanted to be alone, and to process but a conversation would happen eventually. He was conflicted between talking about his feelings, or dealing with them on his own. But if he knew the West's, they weren't going to let Barry go at this alone.

Right on time, Joe and Iris turned the corner to see Barry sitting on the stairs, his head in his hands. He looked up at them, and forced a smile, but it was a pathetic attempt to throw them off his trail. It faltered, and Barry lowered his head again, running his hand through his throughly soaked hair. He heard a round of thunder explode in the sky, and chuckled to himself darkly. Nature was so cliché sometimes.

"I'm sorry, Barry, I- I can't imagine what you're going through." Joe sat beside Barry and placed a hand on his shoulder, and the Scarlet Speedster didn't even flinch. No one had the words to make him feel better, and being so numb as to not feeling anything at the effort that the others around him had taken to help him was scary. He shuddered at the thought of this never going away. He looked up at Iris who offered a sympathetic smile which he returned with the minimal amount of effort.

"She's dead, Joe. She's dead because of me," Barry whispered, his voice so weak it was barely audible. Joe shook his head, and squeezed Barry's shoulder. He clenched his fists at his side, feeling a rage swell up inside of him. Why was it the Heroes always died, but the villains got off free? It wasn't fair, and Barry wanted to find Thawne and drive a fist through his chest, and crush his heart.  
"It's all my fault. If I was faster I could have gotten to her in time, I could've- I don't know! I couldn't gotten her out of there-" A fresh set of tears began to well up, and pour down Barry's cheeks,

"Barry, that's... Barry that's not your fault. No one had any idea what would happen, and Kara wouldn't want you blaming yourself." Joe spoke calmly, and Barry shot him an icy cold glare. He sighed, but nevertheless he persisted, drilling into Barry what he needed to hear, rather than what he wanted to hear.  
"We all understand loss, Barry, you better than anyone understands what loss can do to a person. But Kara loved you, with all of her heart. She wouldn't want us to sit here, and mourn. She'd want us to pick ourselves up, and carry on in her name. Otherwise this Reign character wins," Joe looked at Iris who nodded. "Because if we carry on fighting, Supergirl will never die. She only dies when her legacy is gone. She'll always be with you, Barry." Joe pressed his finger over Barry's chest, with tears in his eyes and a smile. "Here. She'll always be with you. Just like Nora, and Henry. They're never truly gone." As Jo spoke, Barry burst into tears and clung to Joe for dear life.

"Oh, Barry. Come here," Iris rushed forward and joined in on the family hug, stroking his hair as he cried hard into Joe's shirt, trembling violently. They sat there in almost silence, except for the sounds of Barry's sobs fading to whimpers, and eventually only rugged breaths. But eventually it fell into silence, and Barry closed his eyes, allowing his mind to wander back to simpler times. With him and Kara wrapped in each other's arms, snuggling up bed on a Saturday afternoon. Where Kara would insist they just order pizza instead of getting back, or lazily mumble about how comfy Barry's chest. It sounded as if she were drunk, but they were always intoxicated by one another.

He remembered the feeling in his chest when Kara finally returned to her apartment after the incident with the Red Kryptonite, and the promise Kara had made to Barry. She'd promised to earn his love, and Barry couldn't help but smile. She'd earned that a long time ago, enough so that Barry was willing to marry her, and spend the rest of his life with her. As bittersweet as it was, at least Kara died knowing she was loved by so many and so much, but by no one more than Barry. He smiled to himself in Joe's chest, what felt like a lifetime of flashbacks racing through his mind, of every moment he'd spent with Kara.

Fighting Livewire and Banshee.

Introducing Kara to Earths Mightiest Heroes.

Singing and dancing with her in the Music Meister's reality.

Fighting alongside her in National City.

Kissing her in her apartment, and confessing his love.

Asking for her hand in marriage.

Standing beside her one last time.

So many memories, and despite the pain some of them brought, Barry didn't regret a single one. Even staring Kara down after she was infected by Red Kryptonite, or standing over her as she wept for her doppelgängers short cut life. As painful as they were, they had each other. And what Barry wouldn't give to have Kara back, even under the influence of Red Kryptonite. At least then there was a small chance, but now Kara was gone, but Joe was right.

Barry had to carry on in her name.

~~~

It was finally the day of the funeral, and the weather was suitable. Rain poured from the heavens above, and would be drenching all the attendees if not for the umbrellas they held over their heads, except for John Constantine who was casting a spell to create a shield around him, keeping the water out and leaving him bone dry. 

Barry was the first to arrive at the sight, eyeing Kara's grave, resisting the urge to burst into tears. Caitlin stood by his side, holding his hand, offering some comfort, but no where near enough to ease the pain in his soul. He appreciated her being there, as Cisco and Harry were busy leading everyone through the breach, making sure no one got lost in the multiverse on the way through. It was an endeavour to get the Team Arrow, and the Legends across the multiverse for a funeral, but they'd insisted Kara be buried where she belonged. It was a beautiful area, close by to the Danvers home in Midvale so Eliza could visit whenever she wished. Clark had offered to have be buried in the Fortress of Solitude but decided it was best to let her rest in a place close to home, where her family could visit her whenever they wished, as could he.

Because Kara wasn't catholic, or even human, Clark had offered to give her a combination of a human and Kryptonian funeral. It meant she could be buried, giving back to the Earth which she'd called home for years, and be guided into Rao's light to be with her family for eternity. There she would see Alura, Zor-El, and Astra and be with her family. Eventually Kal would join, and they'd finally be a complete family in Rao's light. Everyone agreed it was what was best for Kara, especially Eliza. She understood Kara wasn't human, and despite her own beliefs she wanted only what was best for Kara.

Once everyone started to arrive, Barry didn't feel so alone. Caitlin put an arm around him, as both comfort and warmth in the bitter cold of the wind howling through the meadow, and the rain pouring from above. Noticing a few sympathetic looks, Barry smiled weakly. Everyone who was theres lives had been touched by Kara's in some way or anyone. Except for Zari, and Constantine who were there out of respect. Barry didn't know either of them very well, if at all, but was grateful they'd decided to attend. 

Oliver, Felicity and Diggle arrived a minute after the Legends, and William was tucked underneath Oliver's arm. He managed to get a glimpse of Oliver's son, and noticed the tears in his eyes. Sharing a look with Oliver, Barry understood William mourned her death too. He turned his attention towards the Danvers who's mascara was already running. He didn't blame either of them, and the look from Eliza only broke his heart more. He'd expected her to lash out, and blame him for the death of her daughter, but instead she'd been so kind as to console him for his loss, a pain which they both deeply shared.

Clark walked up to the podium, and gently tapped the mic. He held his umbrella over his head, and cleared his throat, preparing to make a speech he'd carefully planned out for this moment. He wasn't always the best with words, but Clark wasn't about to fail Kara now. He looked into the audience towards Lois who smiled in return, offering him the strength and encouragement to get through such a daunting task.

"Before I begin, I'd like to invite Kara's sister, Alex to speak a few words. She's requested to do so, and I think Kara would be proud." Clark spoke calmly, and gestured towards Alex. The Danvers looked towards Eliza who smiled, kissing her cheek before ushering her daughter up to the podium to speak about her sister. Alex cleared her throat, and gently tapped the microphone. She looked at Kara's coffin, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Thank you, Clark." Alex smiled, and took a breath. "I only met Kara when I was fourteen years old. And when I did I- I'll be honest, I hated her. She was pretty, had powers, and stole the spotlight away from me. For a while, I wanted nothing to do with her. She'd get curious, and chase butterflies or do weird things that embarrassed me. But over time, I grew to love her. She truly became my baby sister, and I loved her as much as if she were my own blood. We ended up working together, at the D.E.O. And I can say, straight from the heart, that Kara Danvers was a far finer woman then I could over hope to be." She looked into the audience at James, Winn, and Lena who were all crying. J'onn was standing there, void. She couldn't get a reading on him, but she knew he was hurting. He offered a smile, and mouthed the words 'keep going' at her to encourage her. 

"She was a loving friend," She looked out at everyone. "Daughter," She looked to both J'onn, and Eliza. "Fiancé," She looked to Barry, who's lip was quivering. "And sister. But she was much more than that. Kara Danvers was a beacon to the world. She didn't just save people, she made them see the best parts of themselves." She walked over to the coffin, and bowed her head, placing a hand against it. 

"I love you, Kara. Always and forever, I hope you're at peace in Rao's light," She looked up at Clark who smiled. "El Mayarah, Kara. You're never truly gone, I'll never forget you, and I'll live up your example. I'll be the best person I can be, and I'll save the world in your name. No one will forget the legacy Supergirl leaves behind, but no one will ever forget the legacy Kara Danvers leaves behind."

Alex walked away from the podium, and stood beside Eliza who linked fingers with her. Clark quickly returned to the podium, and looked at Alex with admiration twinkling behind his eyes. He gestured towards Kara's empty grave, and then towards Oliver and J'onn who nodded in return. They walked over, and lifted Kara's coffin into the grave, slowly, pulling on the rope until the wooden contraption rested in the dirt at a perfect level. 

"If you'd like to say your goodbyes to Kara, take a shovel, and drop some dirt in the grave. No one has to, but if there's something you need to say, I encourage you to do so." Clark spoke calmly, despite the bucking in his knees. He was aching terribly, but being strong for Kara was the only thing keeping him sane. And he knew if Kara was here to see this, that she'd be proud of him, and honoured that so many of her friends and family had arrived to pay their respects. Slowly, a line formed of people, and they all took a clump of dirt, burying Kara bit by bit, saying their final goodbyes.

"Thank you for saving William. Whenever I look at my son, I'll see part of you. You're never forgotten Kara Zor-El. Not by the Queens." Oliver whispered.

"Go in peace, Kara. Be with your family, National City is safe with the D.E.O. We'll save your city, and protect your legacy." J'onn whimpered, wiping his eyes. "I love you, Kara. You were like a daughter to me, and I'll never forget the kindness you've shown me.

"I'll keep being the best version of myself, for you, Kara. I love you, and I'll never forget you. We'll always be Super Friends." Winn chuckled, with a quivering lip.

"Guardian will act in Supergirls honour from now on, I'll never forget the example you've set. Every day, I'll work to save our city. For you." James whispered, waving into the grave.

"You were my first, and for a time only friend in National City. You allowed me to hope again, Kara. And from now on, I'll be a better person because of you. You were a light in the dark, and I'll always remember you, Kara Danvers. I've still got your notebook you left behind on my desk, and I'll look to it when I miss you. I love you, Kara. Be safe in Rao's light." Lena cried, turning around. She walked away from the grave, a hand over her mouth. Oliver quickly walked after her, leaving William in Felicity's care.

"We didn't know each other very well, Kara. But you were a badass, and a true hero, and I'll never forget you. You were a Legend in my eyes, and always will be." Sara chuckled softly, wiping her eyes of tears.

"I know I wasn't your real Mom sweetheart. But I hope I gave you as much love, and as much care as your real mother would've. Now you can be with her, and I'm so happy for you. I love you, Kara. We may not have been blood, but I loved you nonetheless." Eliza blew a kiss at the grave, and Alex rushed to comfort her.

Clark walked over to the grave, and spoke in perfect Kryptonian. He was speaking a prayer, wishing her a safe journey to be with your friends and family from Krypton, and how he'd continue being Superman to honour her legacy, and be a better hero. No one understood the words, but the sentiment was clear. He was a man mourning the loss of his only blood relative, and it showed in the cracking of his voice and the tears streaming down his cheeks.

~~~

Everyone else had gone home, having dealt with the loss of yet another friend. For some it was all too much to bare, others it was their first time losing a friend in the line of duty, for a lucky few it that in between. Unfortunately for Barry, it was the former. He stood over the grave stone beneath him, the etched in markings on the front were filling with water, and the entire stone was a deeper shade of grey then what it was at the start of the service. It'd been half an hour since the service had ended, and most, if not everyone had gone home to contemplate and come to terms with their loss. Suffice to say some were handling it better then others.

KARA DANVERS  
1992 - 2018  
LOVING SISTER, DAUGHTER, FRIEND, FIANCÉ  
"SHE WAS EXTRAORDINARY ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT EXTRAORDINARY ON THE INSIDE AS WELL"

Kneeling down to the gravestone, Barry could feel a fresh set of tears on their way. He suppressed them as he ran his fingers down the stone, feeling the etchings pass by, letter by letter. Every single letter brought a fresh, scolding hot wave of pain. Despite the fact it was freezing cold, and the rain soaked his pristine black suit through and through, Barry was sweating. Thoughts of vengeance rose up, driving his hand through the chest of those responsible for his loss came to mind. Another was stringing them up, and inflicting a pain equal if not superior to that Barry currently held deep in his heart. But that wasn't Barry; Barry Allen doesn't kill. His morals weren't at the forefront of his mind, and he could feel the lightning surging through his veins, and was about to take off to make a mistake he'd live to regret, if not for a strong voice cutting through the sound of the downpour from above. He turned around to see black hair with a stubble, soaked through and through standing only a few feet away from him.

"Come on, Barry, it's time to go home." Oliver smiled softly, although his tone left no room for argument. He knew grief better then most, and had learned to conquer it. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt to lose someone he called a friend. He put her hand on Barry's shoulder and squeezed gently. He hesitantly took a step away from the gravestone, despite the urge to run to it and scream until his voice blew out.  
He wrapped an arm around him, half out of comfort, half out of understanding Barry was ready to run at a moments notice. Once he was gone, not even Wally would be fast enough to keep up with him. And knowing Barry, the Scarlet Speedster would come to regret his decision made in his grief stricken rage.

"I'm so sorry, Barry." Oliver whispered, being as comforting as possible. He offered a smile out of pure respect to him, not a true sense of happiness. Guiding him back to the black limo Oliver had hired out in an attempt to show his respects for the Danvers family, Oliver sat beside Barry and stared at him, sympathy glimmering behind his eyes. They were both in a tremendously deep amount of pain.

"You okay?"

"No, are you?"

"No."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	12. Never Stop Loving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: WOW! Late upload, sorry! Kinda woke up late, and forgot it was Sunday! Just remembered now luckily, oops! I’ve been loving the passion, and admiration you guys have for my work. I never thought I’d be able to make you guys cry, or put a smile on your faces because of my work, but here we are. And now, I present to you, Never Stop Loving!

Alex was stricken by grief more than anyone else, and her way of expressing it was both productive and completely unhealthy. She was consumed with a need for revenge, to put a bullet between the eyes of those who'd killed her beloved sister. And as such she'd spent almost every waking moment since Kara's funeral working herself to death in order to find the Kryptonian and Speedster that'd ripped away the purest thing in her life from her. No goodbyes, no final words, nothing. Fate worked in mysterious ways, and Alex was furious. But she believed that if she could get justice, then she'd find closure.   
Of course that wasn't the case, killing those who'd wronged you lead only to more anguish, but in the heat of the moment, Alex could only see one foot in front of her. The path that was once clear was shrouded in fog, and it made her feel uneasy. But her never ending binge-drinking seemed to be doing the trick. She'd mastered the art of working under pressure, while hammered. She'd call it her very own superpower, much to Kara's disdain.  
Luckily, Caitlin was a gracious host and had been keeping her well fed despite her protests, and constant forgetting to eat. She'd deliver pizza every night, and left some breakfast on the kitchen counter every morning before Alex would wake up. She couldn't bring herself to working on this at S.T.A.R. Labs, and have everyone see in such a pathetic stare. But she trusted Caitlin, to a certain extent. She'd tried to save Kara's life on the operating table and that was something she would never forget. Even if it was a futile effort, Alex would never forget the kindness this total stranger had showed her, and Kara.

Tonight, Caitlin was running late getting home; but Alex had no idea of this fact. She was far too hammered to even realise it was way past ten o'clock, and it wasn't until her laptop's battery ran out did she noticed how utterly intoxicated she was. She managed to stand — barely without falling back into the chair — and stumbled across Caitlin's well kept apartment, knocking a few things over along the way. She cursed herself for making a mess, but knew going back to clean it up would only lead to more mess, and maybe even a few breakages.  
Upon reaching her bedroom, Alex collapsed in a heap on the comfy mattress. How Caitlin was able to afford a luxury such as a memory foam mattress was beyond her, but she knew when she went back to Earth-38 that she'd buy one herself. It made her sleepless nights that little bit more comfortable, and allowed her body to get at least some relaxation. She kicked off her boots as she snuggled up under the covers, and pulled them over her head. She knew she was in a bad place, waking up every morning with a terrible hangover was no way to live, but the numbness allowed her to escape her harsh reality. Her sister was dead, and there was no bringing her back. No magical waters, Kryptonian technology, or time paradoxes were going to change that. And that was the reality she had to live. Fortunately for her, alcohol seemed to be a great way to get through it. Even if she knew it would eventually backfire and only make things worse. How long Caitlin was willing to put up with a grieving drunk sleeping in her spare bedroom was anyone's guess, but Alex would bet on not too much longer.

She heard her phone buzz, and her screen flash but ignored it. Whatever it was, they'd either call or send multiple follow up texts if it was anything important that required her attention. But nothing followed the initial text, besides the notification popping again in case she missed it the first time. She'd never gotten the point of it, and her drunken self only hated it even more. She grabbed her phone and switched it off, tossing it onto her pile of clothes on the floor, and snuggled up in the blankets, passing out due to the amount of toxins in her body that came from the scotch she'd been numbing herself with all day.  
It was early the next morning when Alex woke up. She rolled over and rubbed her eyes, nursing her headache as she checked the clock which read five o'clock in the morning. She knew she wasn't getting back to sleep, and went to reach for her phone until she noticed two asprin and a glass of water on her nightstand with a little note that read 'Sorry I was home so late, your laptop is charging, and I hope you feel better soon. Please try not to drink too much, Alex. It's only going to make things worse.' Of course Alex appreciated the thought, but wasn't going to listen.   
She downed the aspirin and the water, growling at her sore throat as she reached for her phone, and switched it back on. Her lock screen still had the notification up from the text, and she decided to read it.  
'Hey, Alex. It's Sara Lance, the White Canary. I heard about Kara, and I'm sorry. Her funeral was lovely, and your eulogy was beautiful. I was wondering though if you'd wanna come onboard the Waverider with me, and the Legends. Anytime, anyplace, I'll take you there. Lemme know soon, okay? I'll take silence as a no. Take care of yourself, Danvers.' - 10:12 PM

Just reading that text brought her to tears, and she pressed her phone against her chest for a few moments. But her intoxicated mind decided that responding was the best choice of action, and the opportunity to take her mind off of her harsh reality seemed like a blessing from the universe, or at least this one. She slowly typed back to feign sobriety and appear somewhat professional in the face of this woman, who seemed to be doing something nice. She'd met Sara back on Earth-38 when they fought Cadmus, and the Legend had tried to protect Alex with her life, and succeeded. If not for Sara, Alex may have been dead a long time ago.

'Thank you for the offer, I'd be honoured to join you. When are you next free?' 5:03 AM

'Gimme forty-eight hours, Danvers. I'll send you a location later, I promise. Better start brainstorming. :P' 5:04 AM

Of course Sara was the kind of person to use emojis. She snorted audibly and rolled her eyes, firing back a text almost instantly, her eagerness slipping into her timing just a small amount, not enough to feel embarrassed over, but enough to make her cringe just in the slightest amount.

'See you soon.' 5:04 AM

Alex put her phone down, and laid back in bed. Maybe this was her chance to catch a break, and allow herself a moment to grieve in a healthy manner. Doing some good for someone five-hundred years in the past didn't seem like an awful way to process and cope with her feelings of anger, and a need for revenge. She always felt better after helping others, and that was half the reason she'd stuck with the D.E.O. for as long as she had. It was her way of self-healing, and it made her proud to know she was doing wonderful things for people, and saving the world. And maybe this was her reward, and Alex was going to seize it with all she had to offer.

~~~

Deep in his sleep, Barry was shivering violently. He'd long since thrown his covers off earlier in the night, and it was utterly freezing. But that wasn't why he was shivering. Instead of the mere cold of the Central City night, it was the nightmares plaguing his mind which were the culprit for his unrest, an unfortunately common occurrence. There was one saving grace, and that was the fact that they didn't tend to last long. Either they'd subside eventually or Barry would be rudely awoken from his prison.  
Today it was the latter, and Barry was almost grateful. His eyes shot wide open, the size of dinner plates and he rose to a sitting position, clutching his chest where his heart was as he panted, scanning his immediate surroundings for any signs this was a dream. Upon being convinced this wasn't another one of his nightmares, Barry swung his legs out of bed and let his feet rest on the carpet of the floor, sighing deeply.   
Not bothering to check the clock on his beside table this morning, Barry was confident he knew the time just by looking out the window to see the sun in the sky, and the remnants of an orange glow on the horizon. His nightmare was woken him around the time his alarm was supposed to go off. Low and behold, as Barry came to the realisation, his alarm went off. He quickly silenced the loud buzzing and rolled out of bed, taking stride towards the shower.  
He moved into the shower and turned on the water, tossing aside his tank-top and shorts. He stepped under the scolding hot water and winced, but sighed once his muscles got used to the searing temperature of the barrage of hot water pouring from the shower head. He spent very little time in the shower, opting to rather spend the morning watching television in an attempt to take his mind off things for just a little while. Once his hair and body was throughly washed, Barry stepped out of the shower and dried himself using his speed. Friction was an excellently efficient way of drying yourself, especially with the thickness of his hair. His tossed his towel back on the rack and walked back into his bedroom, shuffling towards his drawers tiredly. He'd need a coffee, and a protein bar before he could even consider rocking up to S.T.A.R. Labs.

Grabbing a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a black hoodie wasn't a difficult task. He had very little in the way of variety in his daily attire, and that was exactly the way he liked it. But when it came to important events he had multiple suits, and fancy attire for such occasions. But todays was another average day, and casual attire seemed only fitting. He used his speed to throw on his clothes, and dash into the kitchen and make himself a massive breakfast. Pancakes, sausage, toast, cereal, and multiple cups of coffee, all made in the blink of an eye. He sat them down on his kitchen table and smiled for a moment at his work. He saw the newspaper on the table but decided to not bother with it. Nothing really interesting was ever inside, except for reports on the escapades on the Flash. And Barry wasn't in the mood to stroke his own ego that morning, instead opting to toss it aside and potentially read it later, or throw it out. Either or.

He grabbed the remote, and turned on the television. It was already on a re-run of Doctor Who, a show Ray, and Felicity had both eagerly encouraged Barry to get into. It'd taken a few years but Barry finally caved, and gave it a watch. A few of the actors looked a little familiar, but Barry couldn't quite place where he'd seen them before. It wasn't worth much to scratch his head over it constantly, and decided to file it under the folder which he only seemed to access inside the shower when he was bored out of his skull, or lying awake at night. He focused entirely on the television as he scoffed down his well prepared meal. It didn't take long, even without using his speed. He did, however, use his speed to clean up the kitchen as that was a chore no one enjoyed doing. He switched off the television and tossed the remote onto the couch, praying it wouldn't bounce off and land on the wooden panels which made up the floor of his apartment.

He grabbed his work bag and put it over his shoulder, moving to grab his phone from the coffee table and stuff it in his pocket. He took a breath, and dashed out of his apartment, locking the door behind him, and running towards S.T.A.R. Labs. Usually running at super speed made him feel relaxed, and like himself. But instead he only felt numb as he ran, it was something he'd felt ever since Kara's funeral and he didn't see that leaving anytime soon, with only one thought on his mind.  
To capture the Reverse Flash, and Reign before they took anyone else he cared about from him.

~~~

Arriving at S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry felt the enter location to be eerily quiet. All the lights were off, and only the sound of his heavy footsteps filled his ears. He peered into the darkness of the facility's hallways, quirking a brow. Usually someone was there before him, usually Harry who'd either elected to sleep at his desk, or ignore the concept of sleep entirely. It wasn't uncommon for Harry to 'guard' S.T.A.R. Labs over night, and tinker with an invention of his, or work on something for Cisco. He'd never admit it was out of the goodness of his heart, but it was true. Everyone knew, but no one dared speak it out of fear of getting something heavy and metallic thrown at their head. Up ahead, Barry noticed there were lights coming from the Cortex. His body surged with electricity, prepared for a fight.

"Cisco?" Barry called out, and received no response. "Caitlin?" He tried again, and received no response. He clenched his fists, and hesitantly turned the corner to see what was inside the Cortex, and his eyes went wide. He gasped, and was overcome with a tidal wave of emotions hitting him all at once.

"It's... no... no I'm hallucinating," Barry uttered, his voice trembling in confusion. He stammered over his words as the figure in the Cortex turned to stare at him, with a smile on their face. "No, no. You're dead, I saw you die. This- this isn't... you." He tried to hold back the tears, fearing it was another one of his dreams playing games with him. But they walked up, and cupped his cheek, pressing a soft kiss to Barry's lips, just like they used too.  
"Kara... I don't... I'm so confused. I- I-" Barry stumbled over his words, and Kara chuckled in response. She kissed his cheek, and caressed the other softly, catching a few of his tears.

"Hey, Barry. It's me, I- I'm back!" Kara cheered, eyes wet with tears. She launched herself forward and wrapped Barry in her arms, holding him so tight that Barry thought that she'd never let him go. Truth be told, Kara was considering it. But she decided that allowing her fiancé to breathe was a better alternative than crushing him to death.

"I just... I woke up here. I don't know how I got here, but I- Oh, Rao I've missed you!" She started to cry, and Barry wrapped her in a similarly bone crushing hug, all the hurt inside him being alleviated by the sound of her voice, a sound that would always bring him home.

"It... it doesn't matter how you're back. I'm just so... excited to see you, I- I never thought I'd see you again and I- Damnit, Kara, I was so lost without you!" Barry sobbed into her cardigan, and Kara merely rubbed his back, chuckling through her tears as she expressed with tears what her voice failed too. She'd been so afraid as she lay dying on the operating table, and hated herself for leaving behind those who loved her. She could tell just by Barry's reaction that he'd missed her dearly, and that her death has weighed heavily upon him. But none of that mattered anymore. All that mattered was that they were together again.

As they stood there, crying into each other's form, they felt both truly at peace. Barry and Kara could finally get their happy ending after all. After all the heart ache, misery, and death they'd both had to suffer through, maybe the universe was finally willing to give something back for once. It was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. But eventually Kara pulled away from Barry's arms, and smiled at him. He smiled in return, and gently took her arm, feeling her engagement ring still present on her finger. No one had dared remove it, and Kara wore it proudly as Supergirl, even in her fight to the death against Reign.

"Barry, I need you do one thing for me, okay?" Kara whispered, tears fresh in her eyes as if she were going to regret the next thing she was going to say. It made Barry's heart beat even faster, and he felt sick, but hesitantly nodded none the less. She looked up at him, and smiled sadly as she stared deep into his eyes.

"Anything, Kara. You know that." Barry whispered despite his fear, and his words were true. He'd move heaven and earth if she'd request it. And after failing his promise to always protect her, and be there for her, Barry felt like he at least owed her this one.

"Barry... I- I," Kara leaned in to whisper in Barry's ear, her voice strangely calm. "I need you to wake up." She pulled away, and Barry was confused. Until his scenery changed and his eyes shot open, and he was able to process his surroundings. It only broke his heart even more when he realised that his wish-come-true was only a dream, and that entire encounter was a desperate figment of his imagination. He rolled over in his bed to look at his clock, and noticed it was exactly six-twenty-nine in the morning, one minute before his alarm. He grabbed his pillow and threw it across the room in a fit of rage, knocking his belongings off a shelf with a loud clatter or different materials colliding against the wooden panels of the floor. But luckily it sounded like nothing was broken.

"I miss you, Kara." Barry played with his engagement ring, and let a tear roll down his cheek. "I'll always miss you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	13. Never Stop Running

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually posting this one on time, yay! I’m loving your guys comments so far! Your passion, and support is unbelievable and I love it, I really, really, really, really love it! So please, keep it up, tell me what you think, scream at me for crushing your hearts, I don’t care, I just love hearing from you guys. But, I shan’t keep thou any longer. Here is, Never Stop Running!

It was the crack of dawn, and Barry hadn't slept a single wink. Up all night in search of any sign of the Reverse Flash or Reign. But unfortunately the duo were no where to be found. If it weren't for the accelerated cellular regeneration that came with the ability to harness the Speed Force, Barry may well have broken his hand, judging by how many times he'd punched the desk beside him. It was only by some miracle that he hadn't smashed the cup housing his fifth cup of coffee by now. Of course, pulling an all nighter meant one would tend to lose track of time rather quickly. But judging by the sound of footsteps, and casual conversation coming from the hallway, it was early in the morning, and Team Flash were rocking up for work.

They were all distraught by the loss of Kara, and they were suffering, each in their own way. Even Harry was a little more irritable lately. Barry didn't exactly blame any of them for wanting to get as much rest as possible, but it was still a little frustrating feeling like he was the only one committing to finding the people responsible and bringing them to justice. Everyone was, of course, doing their part. But it didn't exactly feel that way when Barry was clearly putting in more effort than the rest of Team Flash.

Of course, this only served to frustrate Barry. After all, the Scarlet Speedster seemed to be the only one utterly hell bent on catching the people responsible for Kara's death.  
He offered Alex some breathing room, and the fact that she'd stayed on Earth-1 to find her sisters killers was admirable. It was a strength not many people held within them, but one forged by rage that could indeed consume its host if not carefully monitored. He'd made it clear to Caitlin that she wanted her, and Killer Frost, to keep an eye on Alex in case she started to become unhinged, or decided to delve back into drinking herself to death, as she was prone to do.

Rubbing his eyes, Barry rose to his feet and fiddled with his gloves. He was clad in the Flash outfit, its mannequin was eerily empty. Everyone had clearly noticed, judging by the quizzical looks on their faces, but no one questioned it. Cisco walked behind his main set up, while Caitlin and Harry went to opposite labs either side of the Cortex. On the way past, Caitlin offered a smile, but Barry was too hurt at that moment to reciprocate it. He acknowledged it with a nod of his head, and that seemed to be enough for the time being. He walked over behind Cisco to check what he was working on. Cisco turned over his shoulder to look at Barry and smiled a little, and Barry put a hand on his shoulder.  
"Hey, man. You've been up all night," Cisco started, and Barry rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, I think maybe you could benefit from-" Just as Cisco was about to finish, Barry was strangely calmed by the sound of the alarm going off. It either meant a distraction, or they'd found the Reverse Flash and or Reign.

"Woah! I'm intercepting multiple nine-one-one calls! It's uh... oh no. Barry," Cisco looked up at Barry with a stern, yet terrified look. "It's Psi. She's back." His words carried gravity, but Barry was filled with some sick sense of relief. Someone to punch, or throw into the pipeline might be exactly what he needed. He pulled up his cowl, but removed his ear piece and placed it down on the table beside Cisco.  
"No, Barry. Last time that happened-" Everyone looked up to see Barry shaking his head at Cisco with a hand raised, rudely silencing his best friend. Something started to bubble inside of Caitlin but she kept her mouth shut, for the sake of everyone else. Of course Barry had a right to feel angry, but taking it out on those closest to him was not the way to handle it.

"I was fine, I'll be fine this time. Central City Bank?" Barry smirked, and Cisco had to resist the urge to shiver at the sight. "This'll be a walk in the park. Keep looking for Thawne, and Reign. If you find anything, I'll take it up when I'm back." And without another word, Barry dashed out of the Cortex and towards Central City Bank in hopes of taking down Psi once and for all. How she'd managed to escape CCPD was anyone's guess, but her ability to manipulate fear was probably a decent guess. If the police weren't so incompetent, Barry wouldn't have to do their jobs for them. One bullet to the head would finish her, once and for all. But of course morality stood in the way of doing so.  
Barry had considered that maybe Oliver was right at the beginning, that killing was the only way to see justice done. The cops hit them and they got back up, Oliver hit them and they stayed down. If he'd have killed Thawne in the past, maybe all of this could have been different.

Instead of killing him, Barry decided that taking the high road was more important. And in doing so he'd put the people he loves in the crosshairs of his greatest enemies. Reverse Flash, Zoom, and Savitar. They'd all taken things from him that couldn't be replaced. And now history was repeating itself. Maybe learning from the past, and changing his way of doing things would be how he protects the people closest to him. Showing mercy, and restraint only lead to more pain, and misery in his life, as well as everyone else's. If he'd only harden up, and do what needed to be done then maybe, by some miracle Kara would still be alive. Instead she buried six feet under, and Barry had to watch as all her friends and family wept for her loss.  
All because of him.

~~~

Upon arriving at Central City Bank, Barry noticed how the CCPD had surrounded the premises, but none of them had entered. They all glanced at each other, sharing looks of concern between them. Scoffing at the sight, Barry sauntered into the building with a confident smile on his face, feeling his fingers gently dance around the cold metal of the meta-cuffs on his belt, about to securely fastened around Psi's wrists. He could hear the sound of humming, not unlike the tune 'Rockabye Baby'. Upon further inspect, Barry deduced that it was in fact that exact same tune. He smirked and put his fingers to his belt, unclipping the cuffs, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He slowly approached the door, careful to not alert her to his presence. If she knew he was there she'd launch an attack, and Barry would be crippled mentally, completely at her mercy. Not a fate he was eager to meet.  
"Another day has gone," Psi began to speak, and Barry growled in anger. "My mind keeps holding on," She sung out soothingly, but it did nothing but further enrage Barry. He took a step forward, but Psi titled her head and suddenly Barry was overcome with pain. He fell to the ground, gasping in pain as he clutched his pain, willing the pain to go away. But instead it only worsened, and Psi turned to smirk at the Scarlet Speedster being brought to his knees.

"Sour memories of what has been," Psi continued as she stuffed more cash into her duffel bag. "But all this pounding," She stepped over towards Barry, striking him in the chest with the sharp part of her boot, causing him to groan in pain. "Will drive me insane," Another kick. "She will not come back again," Another kick. "But my heart continues to bleed," She leaned down to punch him in the face. "Like a wounded dog!" She barked. But something inside of Barry snapped. Whatever pain he felt was dispersed, and lightning filled his veins.

Rising to his feet, Barry managed to grab Psi's arm and turn her body to face him. He swiftly connected his fist with her jaw, and sent her stumbling backwards. She immediately put her finger to her lip and felt a trickle of blood. She was filled with a similar rage and swung back, but Barry was all too fast for her. He dodged everyone of her attacks, and made multiple jabs at her with an open palm to keep her back, and taunt her at the same time. She threw punches into the storm of lightning all around her, but none of them met their mark. Instead they were met with a punch coming her way in return. She huffed in frustration but continued to throw punches none the less, all of which caused Barry to erupt in laughter. Compared to him, Psi was insect on a windshield.  
Eventually, Barry grew tired of taunting the meta-human and snapped the cuffs on her wrist. At first she tried to break out, or stun Barry to get away. But neither of those options panned out. He stood with his arms crossed, glaring at Psi with anger in his eyes. She sighed, and Barry struck her in the face with a swift punch, knocking her out instantaneously. He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, dragging her out into the foyer where — surprise surprise — the CCPD had finally decided to move in. Each of the officers were concerned to see Psi unconscious being dragged by the collar by none other then the Flash. He tossed her unconscious body towards them, and a couple of officers moved to grab her.

"Don't let her escape next time. Got it?" Barry rolled his eye as they moved to grab her. "I'm not always gonna be around to pick up your slack!" He barked, and dashed off without another word. Iron Heights was able to house meta-humans. The CCPD officers swiftly grabbed Psi and lifted her into the back of a police car, and drove her back to CCPD. They were all a little rattled by the Flash copping such an attitude with them. None of them had superpowers, and if they did, the Flash could bet they'd do the same as him. The Scarlet Speedster was probably having an off day, was the generals consensus between them.

As Barry ran through the streets of Central City, he started to let his mind wander, and frustration clouded over every thought in his mind. Even the forced positivity he was shoving down his own throat in a futile attempt to make the pain go away. With Psi's psychic attack on his mind, Barry was miserable. How she'd escaped was beyond fathoming, and Barry wasn't having any of it. He needed a run to clear his head, and Team Flash could wait. He decided to do a patrol of the city, and have some time to think. Which used to bring some comfort, now only misery. Thoughts of Kara filled his mind, both of her life and death. Some were of her laughing, cuddled up next to him. Others were of Alex clutching her lifeless body, begging for her sister to open her eyes. He hated Psi for splitting the wound open. It wasn't liked it had healed at all, but seeing images of his fiancé lying dead were almost enough to cause him to crash into a bus which he narrowly avoided. Instead he ran across the bridge and decided to do a quick run to Star City and back. Hopefully it would offer some clarity, or at least some peace and quiet. Only left to feel the wind on his face, and the electricity coursing through his veins. It would be peaceful, if not for the broken heart sitting deep in his chest, as Psi so elegantly put it, still bleeding like a wounded dog.  
~~~  
Arriving back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry was surprised to see only Cisco standing in the middle of the Cortex, with his arms crossed over his chest. Instinctively, Barry pulled down his cowl and waved a hand in front of him, offering unnecessary permission to speak his mind, as if he were a mere child who took orders from Barry. But it was the exact opposite in fact, Cisco had as much say as Barry did about what happens involving Team Flash, but Barry knew where this was going. He'd seen that look plenty of times before, from both Henry, and Joe. It was the fact that Cisco had the audacity to stare at him like that which caused Barry to roll his eyes in defiance, and annoyance.

"What?" Barry asked, his tone was confrontational. He shook his head to exaggerate the question posed.  
Cisco merely took a deep breath, most likely to compose his thoughts before speaking his mind. This already wasn't going to a walk in the park, and there was absolutely no need to make it any harder than it already was going to be.

"What was the hell was that, Barry? Out in the field, with Psi. That was crossing a line, and I- I don't even know what to say." Cisco kept his voice level, trying to get through to Barry. His grief was clouding his vision, and driving his actions. Of course Cisco didn't actually blame him, but letting him run wild unhinged was a bad idea, one that could be spotted across the multiverse.

"Look, Barry, man, I know you're upset. But you just- Man, you can't keep that behaviour up! It's not gonna end well, and I'm sorry if you feel like I'm attacking you-"

"You are, Cisco! Kara is dead," Barry walked up to Cisco, getting right up in his face. "And I'll never see her again. So you'll have to forgive me if I'm not full of sunshine and rainbows today!" He growled deeply, but Cisco stood his ground. He didn't even flinch at Barry's tone, which was attempting at egging him on.  
"I try, every single day to help people. Sure I screw up, but I try. I save everyone in Central City, save everyone in the multiverse, save everyone throughout time! And you know what I've learned?" His lip was quivering, but his voice was laced with venom. "The universe doesn't care, I'm going to lose everyone I love unless I stop fighting with one hand tied behind my back! It's time I grew up, Cisco. It's time all of us grew up." He turned to walk away from Cisco, but stopped as he reached the computers.

"If I had of killed Psi last time, I wouldn't have had to pick up CCPD's slack today!" He punched the desk, and winced as a hot pain surged through his hand.

"Man, what's wrong with you? This isn't you, you sound... I'm sorry but... you sound like Thawne." As soon as those words escaped Cisco's lips, Barry turned back around, hatred clouding his vision. Upon realising his mistake, Cisco tensed his body. Judging by the look in the Scarlet Speedsters eyes, this was only going to end with fists in the air, and until the better man was left standing.

"How... dare you!? That man stabbed my mother through the heart, and ruined all of our lives! He's a monster, and he deserves to die!" Barry snapped, walking up to Cisco and getting right up in his face. Their noses were almost touching, and Cisco could feel Barry's warm breath, and the hatred that was expelled with each rugged breath.

"It's almost funny, actually. I'd thought that you of anyone would understand my loss. After Dante died you were an absolute-" Before he could finish the sentence, Cisco punched him in the jaw, sending him stumbling back a few feet. Barry put his finger to his lips, and licked them, tasting the metallic smoothness of his own blood. He looked up at Cisco, eyes wide before throwing another punch. To which Cisco stumbled back from, flicking his hair back with a grin. He threw another punch back, and before they knew it, the Flash and Vibe were at each other's throats.  
Barry threw a punch at Cisco, but luckily Vibe opened a breach in his path, and reopened bedside the Scarlet Speedster. It caused Barry to swiftly punch himself in the temple, and crumble to a heap, clutching his head with a low growl escaping the back of his throat. When Cisco moved to kick him while he was down, Barry punched his knee and sent him tumbling down. The two laid side by side, breathing heavily until they both rolled to their feet at opposite ends of the Cortex, blood pouring from their busted lips. They went to charge at each other, but suddenly a ice barrier formed in between them, and Killer Frost launched into the room, holding ice spikes in both her hands, one aimed at each of the heroes as they struggled to keep themselves in check.

"Enough! You two idiots are in here bickering like children, and I'm sick and tired of it!" Frost scolded both of them, her eyes dangerous. She glared at both of them until they were at least calm enough to not rush the other in a fit of rage. She lowered her arms, but left the barrier in between them as a precaution.

"I see so much as one flicker of electricity, or a breach, I'll ice you both!" She turned to look at Cisco. "Take a walk, Vibe. Me and the Speedster need to have a," She smirked, tilting her head. "Chat. With one another." She thrusted her hand backwards, and Cisco promptly left the Cortex, storming off in a huff.

"You, Flash," Frost kicked a chair at him, and pointed at it forcefully. "Sit down, and shut up. Otherwise I'll lock you in the Pipeline, and unlike Ollie I'm not gonna let you out." She growled, and Barry reluctantly obeyed her command, sitting down in the chair, putting his head in his hands.

After blowing off some steam, Barry realised his mistake. He'd lashed out at Cisco for only calling him up on his crap, and they'd actually come to blows. He felt terrible, but couldn't bring himself to chase after Cisco. Instead he sat in the chair, and let the tears from his eyes meet his hands, silently crying as he awaited Frost to scold him for his actions, which he rightfully deserved.

"Look, Barry." It wasn't often Killer Frost said his name, nor in such a compassionate tone. "I know you... loved Kara, and I know she loved you in return. But how would she feel if she saw you acting like this? What would she say to you?" She asked gently, and Barry looked up, eyes red from crying. She sighed and leaned on the desk, looking down at him with an ironically warm expression.  
"I know you're hurting, Flash. But you're not me, and you don't want to become me. You've... as much as I hate to admit it, you've rubbed off on me. You gave me a second chance after I.... betrayed you and tried to kill Iris. Don't be like me, be better. Vibe was only trying to help you, and I... I think you should apologise." It went against every fibre of Killer Frost's nature to be so supportive, warm, and kind. But there was evidence she was trying to be better, and her icy persona wasn't all there was to her.

"I just... I miss Kara so much. And this anger," Barry clenched his fist. "I- I dunno what to do with it. I'm so angry I can barely breath. And I feel like it's going to consume me! Man, I loved her with all I had, and I wasn't fast enough to save her." Barry whimpered, and Killer Frost felt a modicum of pity in the depths of her frozen heart. She walked over, and put a hand on his shoulder for comfort. He put his on top of it.  
"What kind of a hero am I? When I can't even save the people I love." He sighed, and leaned on the shoulder where her hand was.

"First of all, a hero admits when they're wrong. And you know what you did to Cisco was wrong. Second of all, you tell anyone about this, and I'll freeze off places you'd rather keep." Her voice turned a little more sinister, before smirking his way. She turned to walk into the hallway, and peered back in.  
"Caity's working on locating them, Flash. Give her some time." She said simply, leaving Barry alone in the Cortex to process everything that'd happened.

Two things were made abundantly clear. One; Killer Frost was basically Frosty Oprah. Second; Cisco deserved an apology, and a drink if he'd accept it. Immediately, Barry shot to his feet and jogged into the hallway, turning towards the Speed Lab where Cisco usually found himself when he wasn't busy. He only prayed that Cisco was willing to hear him out after that last comment. God knows most people wouldn't, but Cisco wasn't most people. He was a little more compassionate then most people, and he was Barrys best friend. If there was a chance that he could patch things up, Barry was taking it.  
~~~  
"Hey, man," Barry tried to get Cisco's attention with a weak smile. "You busy? I can come back later if you-" Whatever Cisco was fiddling with was slammed down on the desk, and Barry nearly jumped. He slowly approached Cisco hesitantly. He wasn't there to fight, in fact he was there for the exact opposite reason.

"It's fine, Barry. What do you want?"

"I want to... apologise."

"For what? Being an ass?"

"Yes... and for what I said to you. You were only trying to help me, and I lashed out, I'm really sorry, Cisco. I didn't mean what I said I just- No. No excuses, I was an ass, and I'm sorry." Barry spoke directly from the heart, and shuffled his foot against the floor. He watched as Cisco stared at him in silence for a moment before a smile crept onto his face.

"Yeah. You were an ass," Cisco chuckled a little, and looked down at his desk, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry I punched you." He sighed and averted his gaze, but Barry merely chuckled in response and shook his head.

"I'm sorry I punched you back. You uh... wanna get a drink? I reckon we could use one." Barry offered a sincere smiled, and Cisco nodded a few times before stepping away from his desk, and grabbing his jacket from the chair behind him. He swiftly put it on, and grabbed his phone, stuffing it in his pocket.  
"You're buying though, I ain't." He smirked, and Barry nodded wholeheartedly.

"You bet I am," Barry grinned. "Come on, let's get going." He turned to walk out of the Speed Lab and Cisco followed shortly behind him. They both walked through the corridors until they reached the elevator, and Barry hit the button, patiently waiting for the elevator to arrive on their floor. He turns to face his friend, and quirked a brow.

"You throw a mean punch, Vibe. I was a little surprised." He chuckled, and Cisco gently punched his arm, grinning in response. The elevator door arrived at their level, and they both stepped inside.

"Not so bad yourself, Flash."

~~~

Elsewhere in Central City, Reign was getting agitated. She'd been following the Speedster plan for longer than she'd initially planned, but Thawne did deliver on his word. Her rival, the Girl of Steel was in the ground, and Earth-38 no longer had their Champion of Earth standing in her way. But she was eager to commence dispensing justice. Of course Thawne had uttered some nonsense about patience which she didn't buy for a second, but she valued the intel the Earth-1 Speedster offered. He was worth more to her alive than dead, much to her displeasure.

Once the Flash, and Green Arrow were dealt with, Reign could cleanse this Earth of the the rot it had been infected by. She was eager to face the Scarlet Speedster one last time, and snap his neck like a tree branch. She'd be trembling with anticipation if not for her suppressed emotions. She wasn't a child who couldn't contain her excitement. She was far above that, but it was still tempting. The thought of snapping the Flash's neck and piercing the Green Arrow's heart with an arrow was filling her with a sick sense of pleasure.

But that would come all in due time. Patience was a virtue, and Reign held much of it in her DNA. She'd waited this long to cleanse one Earth, waiting a little longer to cleanse two was worth it. After she'd disposed of her 'ally' once the time was right. He was by all definition a sinner, and Reign had a duty to eliminate him. But using him for the time being seemed an acceptable course of action. In her eyes, the ends justify the means.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	14. It’s Called The Waverider Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One order of fluff, going once... going twice... going three times... sold to the lovely readers who give me life! Yes, that's right. There's more fluff and lightheartedness in this chapter. I know you all have been suffering for a while at my hand, (seriously guys I'm running out of vials to hold your tears, I need a wheelbarrow...) so here's something to lift your spirits! I hope you enjoy, lemme know what you think, I'm really, really eager to get feedback for this chapter for reasons which I'll explain... eventually!

Standing in the middle of the flatlines with a duffel bag over her shoulder made Alex feel like an idiot. Who's to say Sara wasn't pulling some sick joke on her? Of course S.T.A.R. Labs had vouched for her story, and that the Captain of the Legends could be taken at her word. But it didn't help that the person offering an adventure on a time travelling vessel would be un-ironically late. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, it was her D.E.O. instincts making themselves well known. She checked her phone for the tenth time in as many minute, growing agitated. The Waverider was supposed to have landed almost fifteen minutes ago. She had half a mind to call Barry and ask for a lift back to S.T.A.R. Labs where she could hit the punching bag and let out the anger that didn't seem to want to go away. She felt nothing but anger at the loss of her sister, and the tensions running high inside S.T.A.R. Labs wasn't helping. After the spat between Barry and Cisco, and Killer Frost having to intervene, Alex was eager to take a break. She didn't blame them of course. They were all still reeling from the loss of Kara, Barry the most out of the lot. But you could cut the tension in that room with a pair of scissors, and Alex needed a break.

As soon as the Waverider appeared, Alex let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. It glided through the air elegantly until it landed about three hundred metres from where she stood. It's bay door slowly slid upon, and pressed softly into the dirt. But anyone underneath probably wouldn't describe it as such. Out stepped two individuals who she recognised as Sara Lance and Ray Palmer. She'd gotten to know Sara a little amount after their battle with Cadmus, but Doctor Raymond Palmer remained somewhat of a mystery to her. She decided that meeting them half way was the courteous thing to do.

"Well, well, well, Agent Danvers. Good to see you again." Sara extended her arm, and Alex shook her hand. It was nice that Sara didn't immediately being up Kara, and spoke to her normally, like nothing was wrong. It allowed Alex a moment to pretend that nothing was wrong, and it was a welcome change of pace from the people she'd found herself talking to in recent memory.   
"This is Ray Palmer, the A.T.O.M." She turned her attention to Ray who extended his arm, and likewise Alex shook his hand. He had a firm, but fair grip. He smiled at her pleasantly, and Alex remembered how fondly Kara had spoken of Ray. Funny thing was, Ray struck a striking resemblance to Clark. It wasn't impossible for two people to look at least somewhat alike across a multiverse of fifty-two Earths, in fact Alex was surprised she'd yet to encounter any of the doppelgängers of her friends and family on this Earth yet. No mention of Superman, Supergirl, Martian Manhunter, the D.E.O.. or any aliens, besides the Dominators.

"Nice to meet you, Ms- I mean Agent Danvers. Am I supposed to salute? I don't exactly-" Sara jabbed her elbow into his side, effectively shutting him up. Stifling a chuckle, Alex looked him up and down, metaphorically scratching her head as to why Ray and Clark looked so similar. She had half a mind to ask if he wore glasses, and request him to do put them off if he — in fact — did. Something was really bugging her about it, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. It was driving her insane, but ignoring it seemed the best course of action. Otherwise she'd probably zone out and miss anything Sara and Ray were going to say.  
"It's good to see you again, Kara once told me you were a women of science." Alex noticed how Sara turned her head to look at Ray as if to threaten him for speaking Kara's name, but Alex rushed to his rescue. He was only being friendly, and learning Kara spoke highly of Alex to her fellow superheroes nearly made her smile. Made her feel less like an operative of the D.E.O., and more like a universally acclaimed badass.

"I'm a bio-engineer for the D.E.O. on my Earth, and I'm an expert in alien physiology." Watching Ray's face light up like fireworks brought her some joy. It was nice to have her skills be appreciated by someone who understood the amount of hard work and dedication it took to get better at that craft.   
"You'll have to show me your A.T.O.M. suit, I'd love to see the ins and out." She smiled, and Ray had to hold himself back from jumping for joy. Sara merely rolled her eyes fondly at the sight of Ray nerding out at the mere chance someone on the ship appreciating science as much as he did. Ever since Stein and Jax had retried to their lives, Ray was eager to have someone of similar intellectual capacity on board, even for a brief amount of time. She knew how much it meant to have someone around who could understand you, no matter how technical or advanced you got. Most of the time when Alex started rambling on about alien DNA, Kara would sort of blank and completely zone out, or attempt to feign understanding. If only she'd been a little older when Krypton was destroyed, Alex would've have a sister with knowledge gifted from the Science Guild the El's were known for. Especially her grandfather, Seg-El, was an astute member the Science Guild, after earning back the right to wear the name El proudly, and legally.

"Alright. Why don't I show you around, Agent Danvers? Ray, can you get everyone gathered on the bridge? Including Mick." She added at the end, and Ray smiled before wandering off back to the Waverider. Sara playfully offered her arm, and Alex found it somewhat rude to refuse. But as soon as she linked arms, she felt guilty, and remembered Maggie. But she was in too deep to pull away now, and decided to power through the memories flooding back to her.  
"Don't barge into his room! There's something's one cannot un-see!" She called over her shoulder, and Alex noticed how Ray shuddered. With a small nonchalant shrug of her shoulders, Sara began to walk back towards the ship, escorting Alex arm and arm up into the Waverider, where the cargo room was. It was an absolute mess, but for a group of outcasts and misfits, it was probably organised. 

~~~

"And that is the kitchen, where Mick likes to make an absolute mess, and Ray adores cleaning up after him." Sara smirked, leaning in closer to Alex's ear with a soft whisper. "He likes chore wheels." She rolled her eyes fondly, and Alex chuckled quietly. The two women finally arrived on the Bridge, and the rest of the Legends were all standing around, talking amongst themselves until their Captain made her presence — and by proxy Alex's — known.

"Everyone, I'd like to welcome Agent Alexandra Danvers of the D.E.O. onboard the Waverider." Of course Sara was hyping her up, and Alex could see it clear as day. Usually she'd find it over the top, and somewhat vexing but hearing how fondly Sara spoke of her made her feel something other than discomfort  
"Alex," Sara waved her arm towards her crew. "This is Ray Palmer, Mick Rory, Nate Heywood, Wally West, Amaya Jiwe, and Zari Tomaz." She listed each of them with a point of her finger, and Alex forced a smile their way. They all reciprocated it, except for Mick who instead grunted, but Alex didn't take offence.

"And don't forget about me, Captain Lance." Alex almost jumped when she heard a smooth elegant voice cut through the silence of the room, seemingly coming from nowhere. Everyone snickered, and Sara placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, gently squeezing it for reassurance. It was comforting, albeit a surprise to her.

"And that's Gideon, our A.I. She helps us out from time to time," Sara shrugged, and smiled as Gideon's 'head' appeared, floating in the middle of the console. "She's also pretty good for life advice. Ain't that right, Gideon?" She asked the floating head, and Alex was damn sure she noticed the holographic lips curve into a smile.

"If you say so, Captain."

Alex looked amongst the group of Legends, and quirked a brow. A few people were missing, Jax, Stein, and Constantine. She'd met the duo which made up Firestorm last year during their battle with Cadmus, and had noticed Constantine at Kara's funeral. But all three were seemingly absent as of present.

"Hey, um... Where are the others? Firestorm and Constantine, I mean. Just noticed they aren't around, and I doubt you're a woman who likes tardiness." Alex shrugged, and Sara smirked. Why was she smiling so much? Either way, before Sara could answer, Nate politely raised his hand to offer an answer, and Alex turned on her heels to face him with a single nod, and a serious look in her eye. Not because she was mad at him for any particular reason, but because she was numb to the universe. And she'd also been sober for around twelve hours now, and it was weighing on her. She'd spotted a bottle of scotch inside the Captains Quarters, and was tempted to crack it open and have a taste. It'd probably been aged rather well, considering these were time travellers.

"Jax and the Professor retired to Central City in twenty-eighteen. They both wanted to spend time with families, and thought it was time to hang up the splicer. And Constantine," Nate clearly his throat. "Buggered off." He put on a heavily exaggerated welsh accent, and chucked to himself. He fist bumped Wally who was standing to his immediate left, and Sara shot him daggers with her eyes. Which was much more preferable than her other shooting of daggers.  
"He had some business in twenty-eighteen to deal with. And right now, Mallus is keeping us busy. We're happy to have you onboard, Alex." He smiled politely, and outstretched his hand. Alex took the courtesy and shook his hand, offering a single nod to accompany it.

"Alert, Captain Lance. A level seven anachronism has been detected," Gideon spoke up, her voice more urgent than before. She started displaying data on the centre console, and everyone crowed around it, analysing the information carefully.

"Australian Prime Minster Harold Holt had ended up France, 1889. March 30th to be exact, I cannot however pinpoint as to how this may affect history. But if it is not corrected, Mallus will be one step closer to escaping. Might I advise action effective immediately, Captain Lance?" Gideon spoke with a calm and crisp sense about her, but there was urgency in her tone. She had basic emotion simulators which allowed for easy communication between herself and the Legends.

"You may, Gideon." Sara nodded, and turned to the Legends. "Alright everyone, suit up. Let's find this 'Harold Holt' and restore the timeline before Mallus gets out. Zari, and Wally, you're on recon duty. You're our eyes and ears out there," Sara said, and Wally dashed out with Zari not a second later. "Nate, and Amaya. I want you two on the streets. Find out what people know," Nate and Amaya smirked before walking off together. "Ray, and Mick, I want you two to stay here. Monitors the others, and keep them out of trouble." She ordered, and Ray saluted. Mick wandered off elsewhere, doing the exact opposite of what Sara had told him to do.

"Cheese eating surrender monkeys." Mick grumbled on his way out, and Alex realised both Earths had the Simpsons. That seemed another constant across the multiverse. She remembered how much Kara adored that show when she was younger, and now many social cues her younger sister had picked up by watching it. Her learning to not steal was one of them, and yet Eliza was never fond of her girls watching the program at all.

"And by you two, I mean you, Ray." Sara rolled her eyes and turned her head to face Alex, looking her up and down. "You ready for some action, Agent Danvers?" She quirked a brow, and Alex nodded in response. She wondered why Sara insisted on using such a formal name for her, whereas everyone else called her Alex by default. But now wasn't the time for question, now was the time for action. And Alex had always wanted to visit Paris, but never expected herself to be found in eighteen-eighty nine. Suffice to say, Alex was more than a little excited to experience a different time period, rather than only a different time zone.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

~~~

Walking through the streets of Paris in eighteen-eighty-nine wasn't something Alex had expected herself to do in her lifetime. Of course she'd watched movies, and television programs with time travel involved, but they were all fiction and very stylised. This was so surreal that Alex couldn't help but look at every individual detail of the world around her. The cracks in the brick, the hay beneath her boots, the fowl stench filling the air, and how utterly tight her corset was around her waist. It was normal attire for France in the eighteen-hundreds and if the Legends wanted to fit in, they'd have to dress the part, as well as act it. Luckily for Alex, Eliza had forced her to take French at Midvale High in her junior years to get a 'leg up in the world' as she put it. Of course at the time she'd been repulsed to the idea, and absolutely hated it. But it was finally paying off, and Alex could already picture the smug look Eliza was going to have plastered across her face upon hearing this absurd tale.

"This. Is. Incredible." Alex muttered under her breath, and Sara rolled her eyes fondly. She'd become partially desensitised the wonders of time travel. Sleeping with Anne of Austria as her fellow Legends tried desperately to stop Cardinal Richelieu's men from assassinating the King of France with weapons from the thirty-first century given to them by Time Pirates tended to do that. But seeing Alex's child like excitement, and curiosity brought her some joy by proxy. It was also wonderful to see Alex smiling genuinely and feeling something other than grief. But — of course — bringing that up would undo all her progress, and Sara decided it was best to let Alex expand her horizons, and take her mind off things in peace. A luxury Sara was once denied after Laurels death.  
"Right! We're on a mission, sorry. I uh... I got a little excited-" Alex went to apologise and Sara weakly punched her arm, causing the Agent to playfully whimper, and feign discomfort.

"You don't have to apologise, Agent Danvers. To be honest, I love seeing people experience this for the first time. There's something so... innocent about it. Just don't go chasing butterflies while I'm getting attacked by the guards, okay?" She smirked and continued to walk down the streets, her white corset and dress complimented her figure, and her curled hair made her look pristine. Truth be told, Alex couldn't help but let her eyes wander to the assassins frame as she sauntered through the city of love with such confidence and grace. Alex was wearing a dress of a similar design, only purple in colour rather than white. Her shorter hair was hidden underneath a hat with a massively overcompensating feather sticking out of it.  
"But you're right," Sara sighed. "We're on a mission. We need some intel on where our friend Mr. Holt- Hey, Alex, wait!" Sara called out as Alex walked up to a rather attractive young woman standing on her own, fanning herself as men walked by, staring at her. To which she payed no attention to at all.

"Excusez-moi Madame," Alex caught the woman's attention, who smiled at her. "Avez-vous vu quelqu'un par ici qui n'appartient pas? Il parle anglais et porte des vêtements amusants" She spoke in fluent and clear french, much to Sara's surprise. She was expecting to have to give her a translation pill, but it seems that was rather unnecessary now. She stood beside Alex, and noticed the daggers being shot at her by the woman in conversation with Alex. It looked almost like jealousy, and Sara smiled sickeningly sweetly in return.

"Oui j'ai. La dernière fois, j'ai vu qu'il était emmené en prison dans une charrette." The woman replied, and reached out to take Alex's hand and kiss her knuckles with a smirk, to which Alex blushed at, but didn't draw her hand away. Now it was Sara's turn to be jealous.  
"Je m'appelle Marie. Quel est ton nom, magnifique?" Marie asked, and Alex chuckled softly, rolling her eyes fondly at the courteous and flirtatious gesture.

"Mon nom est Alex. C'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer, magnifique." Alex replied, and turned to Sara who was on the verge of ripping Marie apart with her bare hands. She caught the message that there was some tension in the air, and moved quickly to diffuse it.  
"Mes excuses, j'ai des affaires ailleurs. Je dois partir." Alex smiled, and Marie nodded kindly, before looking at Sara with a subtle wink. If it weren't for the self restraint taught to her by the League of Assassins, Sara would have gutted her for that move, but instead let it slide.

"Adieu, ma chérie. J'espère que ce n'est pas la dernière fois que nous parlons." Marie replied before politely waving Alex and Sara off before walking away, a sway in her hips as she did so. Sara knew exactly why she was doing it, and swallowed the growl in the back of her throat before Alex caught wind of it. But the Agent was already suspicious of her behaviour, and quirked a brow.

"Hey, you okay? You seem..."

"I'm fine, I promise. What did your new friend tell you?" Sara spat with a hint of venom, and Alex decided to let it slide. At least for the time being. This wasn't the time and place to start an argument, especially after Sara had been so kind and generous to her. She'd been incredibly rude to make a scene right there and then.

"Harold Holt was dragged away to one of the prisons nearby not long ago. Seems he was causing a disturbance and the guards thought it best to toss him in prison until they can decide what to do with him. If we're gonna get inside, we're gonna need a plan." Alex's brain immediately started calculating the risks of each alternative for this scenario, and Sara smiled as she watched the woman's brain work in such a way. She found it rather sexy, and very graceful.

"Well then, Agent Danvers. I'll let you take the reigns, what's the plan?" Sara asked in a hushed whisper, and Alex smirked. She loved orchestrating plans for the D.E.O., but unfortunately she'd had very little opportunities to do so. Usually J'onn or Kara took charge in these scenarios, which left Alex to only blindly follow her surrogate father and sister. The thought of Kara made her frown, and Sara caught wind of it quickly.  
"You doing okay?" Sara asked softly, and Alex sighed with a single nod. She didn't want to bother Sara with all her problems, and if wasn't like Sara could understand her pain anyway.

"Yeah, yeah, me? Yeah, no, I'm okay. Of course I'm okay. I'm okay, okay?"

"Okay."

~~~

This was a mission Sara and Alex could easily accomplish on their own. The rest of the Legends were on stand-by for back up, and Wally was there extraction. All they needed to do was sneak their way inside, incapacitate any guards in their path, find Harold Holt and sneak him back out of the prison. Shouldn't be too hard for an assassin and government agent, seeing as some of their tactics and fighting styles hadn't even been invented yet.

Inside the prison it was dark, damp, and depressing. Many people were stripped of all their clothes, and forced into undersized cells, left to rot until they were either sent insane due to the isolation, or starved to death at the hands of the guards who didn't give a single damn about their wellbeing. Of course many of them were evil, vile people who deserved to be in here, but at the same time, many were innocent with mental health issues, or committed the most basic of crimes to feed themselves and their families. It was all rather tragic, but unfortunately, freeing them from their bondage would only screw up the timeline more, and free Mallus from his cage. And that was exactly what the Legends were trying to prevent from happening in the first place.

Upon reaching the bottom floor of the prison, Sara and Alex quickly rushed to take down the two guards on duty. They both fell like a sack of bricks and their armour flattered against the floor, raising some prisoners from their slumber. The two Legends looked to each other with a nod and swiped the keys from both of them, storing them in their pockets before individually checking each and every cell for their target.

"Oi! What's all the noise out there?" Upon hearing the accent, Sara chuckled. She could recognise that commonly stereotyped accent anywhere, and rushed to where the source of the noise was. She smiled at the man in the cell, eyeing him up and down.  
"Who are you? Are you here to rescue me? God, love, I thought I was gonna die in here!" He had slicked back grey hair, but it was exceptionally greasy due to the lack of showers nearby. He was rather short, and a little overweight but that was common from his time zone. Alex ran up and joined alongside Sara who was trying to press the keys into the lock, but they were somewhat bent out of shape, making it a somewhat difficult task.  
"Oh, God, I'm so relieved! Is he here to rescue me as well?" Both women were surprised by the use of the pronoun 'he', and spun around. Standing in the middle of the room was none other than Damien Darhk with a grin plastered across his face.

"Darhk. Should've known it'd be you messing with the timeline," Sara growled. "Again."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my favourite Lance sister. Oh, wait, sorry," Darhk laughed. "Only Lance sister, considering I killed the other one one-hundred and twenty-seven years from now." He taunted, and Sara took the bait. She rushed at him, but he quickly raised his hand and Sara was locked in place, and began to float as he raised his arm, suspending her in midair. Completely helpless to resist his magic. 

"Who's this? Another lady friend? I must say, Ms. Lance, you have excellent taste in women. But unfortunately," Darhk nodded, and Sara heard Alex cry out in pain as she fell to her knees. She managed to look towards the Agent and find Nora Darhk standing over her, gripping her shoulder as she sucked the life force out of Alex were so cruelly slowly. "She won't be around for much longer." He flicked his arm to the side, and Sara went flying, her back slamming against a stone pillar with a thud before falling to the floor in a heap, completely disoriented.

"Poor Alex Danvers," Mallus drawled out, through Nora. "To travel across the multiverse, and watch your sister die, only to die yourself at the hands of Mallus!" He barked as Alex's life ebbed away, like a candles flame flickering before fading entirely. "Sara Lance cannot save you. No one can!" He roared, and Alex's world began to fade to black. But just as she felt like her entire world was slipping away, Darhk roared in pain and Mallus released his grip from her shoulder, letting her body heal at least somewhat. In all the commotion, Sara had charged at Darhk and managed to stab a blade into his hip, causing him to collapse. But in the process, Sara had opened a wound on her back and was heavily bleeding. She used her last remnants of consciousness to open the door for Harold Holt who had absolutely no idea what was going on.

"Wally... ex-extraction... n-now..." Sara mumbled into her comms before collapsing, falling face first with no arms in front of her to protect herself. But luckily, Wally dashed into the prison and caught her just in time. He made three trips, once to grab Sara, once to grab Alex, and once to grab Harold Holt. It all happened in the blink of an eye, and suddenly Alex felt the wind on her face as Wally ran her back to the Waverider in his arms. She tried to stay conscious, her mind wandering to thoughts on Sara's condition but she couldn't help it, and gave into sleep moments later, her world fading to black.

Back in the prison, Darhk was kneeling on the floor as Nora assessed his injuries. They were bad, but nothing he couldn't recover from with a few tips and tricks from Mallus. He only felt irritated that his bad guy monologue had cost him victory again, and that he'd underestimated their Speedster for the second, and hopefully final time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me, twice, shame on me. Next time, Wally was going down first. 

"We'll get... 'em next time... Nora doll."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	15. It’s Called The Waverider Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff! More badass lesbians! More Legends! I hope you guys are enjoying this mini-crossover, I really enjoyed writing it! Don’t have much to say this time, so I’ll let you all get to it. Enjoy being on the Waverider!

Waking up in the Med Bay was never pleasant, but for Sara it was unfortunately common. Being the Captain of the Legends meant putting herself in situations where she might die, in order to save her team. Many times she'd found herself out of commission and confined by Gideon in order to properly heal. This was no exception, Sara could barely remember anything from earlier, all her memories were bleeding into one another, and the splitting head ache wasn't helping.   
She groaned and tried to sit up, but found two firm, but fair hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her back down into the chair. She opened her eyes to find both Zari, and Wally standing over her, looking a good cocktail of concerned and relieved. She obeyed Zari's physical commands, but suddenly she gasped as a memory came back to her, and it caused her to whine as the muscle spasm ripped throughout her body, and reached the wound in her back which Gideon had been operating on in her sleep, judging by how little it hurt compared to before.

"Alex! Where's... Wally, did you-" Sara's confusion was bordering on panic. She felt Zari's grip on her tighten a little, and if not for the lack of energy her body was dealing with, Sara would have flipped Zari over her shoulder out of nothing but pure instinct. She tried to struggle but found it completely useless, and huffed as she laid back in her chair and closed her eyes, trying to focus on the memories which were slowly coming back to her.

"Alex is fine, Sara. I got you, her, and Holt out before Darhk could hurt anyone, anymore." Wally smiled, and Sara let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. She weakly turned her head to see Alex laying in the chair adjacent to hers, hooked up to the Waverider as Gideon was working on repairing the damage Mallus had done to her.  
"Gideon says you saved her life. Another few seconds and she'd of-" Zari jabbed him in the side, and Wally groaned in reply, rubbing his side where Zari had harshly struck him.   
"Nothing permanent was done to her, she'll be good as new in a few hours. Ain't that right, Gideon?" Wally finished his sentence by looking up to the ceiling with a smile.

"That is correct, Mr. West." Gideon chimed in, and Sara felt instantly relieved, like a massive weight was lifting from her shoulders in an instant. She sighed and put her head back, closing her eyes with a smile. Despite how utterly foolish it was to rush Darhk with a gaping wound on her back, Sara was relieved she'd managed to save Alex from the Darhk's clutches. She wasn't about to lose anyone else to that retched and despicable family.

"However, Captain Lance, I cannot say the same for your injuries. Your gambit was foolish, although successful. In the process you managed to cause severe damage to your lower back. Nothing my systems cannot heal for you, but I advise resting for a few days in order to let the wound fully close up." She spoke sadly, and Sara chuckled. She waved at Gideon in affirmation and took a deep breath. She didn't much care for her own injuries, she'd sustained far worse at the hands of many a foe. 

"Hey," Sara reached out to grab Wally's wrist with a lazy smile. "Thanks for saving me, and Alex. You're an important member of this team, I'm lucky to have you on board." She chuckled, and Wally smiled in return. He took her hand and gently ran his thumb over her knuckles. During their time together on the Waverider, Sara and Wally had become fast friends. They both had admirable respect for one another, and Sara enjoyed having a Speedster on board. Made doing chores a hell of a lot easier. And Wally cleaned up after himself, which meant that was one less member she'd have to scold every week to clean their room. She'd long since given up on telling Mick to clean up his room, it was an absolute mess, but Mick rarely left his room anyways. No one really ever saw it, so Sara let it slide the majority of the time.

"We're gonna let you get some rest, Sara. Call us if you need anything." Zari smiled and turned to walk out of the Med Bay, and Wally dashed past her, blowing her hair all over the place. She groaned and quickly moved to readjust her hair, fixing it off of her face and neatly tucking it behind her ears. She looked at Sara with a playful smirk and rolled her eyes which as much exaggeration as possible for comedic effect.

"God, I hate it when he does that." She scoffed and walked out of the Med Bay, her footsteps slowly becoming more and more faint until they couldn't be heard anymore. The only sound left to beat back the eerie silence was the many bleeps and bloops of the Med Bay; specifically Gideon's systems. It was somewhat peaceful to hear the artificial sounds filling the room. None of them were loud or obnoxious, they were all rather serene and had a unique aesthetic to them.

As Sara closed her eyes, intending to drift off to sleep, the Captain couldn't help but feel regret. This was supposed to be about giving Alex something to focus on other than the loss of her sister. Instead everything had gone wrong, and Alex had nearly died at the hands of Mallus. Sara silently cursed herself for bringing her into this mess, and let a tear roll down her cheek. How could she have been so stupid to let her guard down? She'd been so distracted by her conflicting feelings that she hadn't heard Darhk and Nora sneaking up on them. She'd made a fool of herself by getting jealous in front of Alex about seemingly nothing. And her carelessness had nearly gotten Alex killed as a result. She finally managed to drift off to sleep after a few minutes, still furious with herself for being so careless and reckless. But there was nothing she could do to change the past, only reconcile with the future to make things right; and that meant telling Alex the truth when she woke up.

~~~

Hours later, Alex finally began to ever so slowly regain conciseness, pulling open her eyelids to a somewhat familiar setting, and a rather familiar face looking down upon her with a sweet smile. She returned it, and tried to adjust her seating position but found it was too painful, and settled for the default she'd woken up in. As her mind slowly became more clear, and her memories returned, a sudden shock filled her and she gasped, looking down at herself to check for injuries. But her skin was its normal tone, her muscles were mostly responding to her commands, and she wasn't in an intense amount of pain unlike anything she'd ever encountered before.

"Hey, hey, take it easy, okay? You were hurt, but you're on the Waverider, and Gideon's patching you back up. Just relax, okay? I'm here, and I promise you're safe." Sara soothed her, and Alex let out a soft whimper before nodding, her anxieties receding into a somewhat annoying discomfort.  
"Do you remember anything, at all?" Sara asked, and Alex weakly nodded in affirmation. "Good. At least I don't have to worry about you suffering amnesia." She feigned a laugh, but Alex saw right through it and frowned. As much as she hated the fact that Alex could see through any mask she wore, it was somewhat relieving to not have someone believe you when you lie and say that you're okay, or that nothing is bothering you.

"Just rest, okay? Gideon says you need lots of it. Nora did a hell of a number on you, Agent Danvers." Sara smirked, and pulled up a stool beside the chair, groaning as she bent down lower to sit on it.

"Okay," Alex mumbled with a smile. "So long as you tell me what's going on with you. And don't say nothing, I can see through your facade." Her voice was stern, but there was some compassion in there. It made Sara laugh a little and run her hand through her golden locks with a soft groan as she composed her thoughts into a neat little box, ready to be gifted off to Alex without any tangent or straying from the path.

"You're good, Agent Danvers. You're very good." Sara complimented her, and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw Alex smile in response to the flirtatious compliment. She felt Alex reach out to graze her knuckles, and accepted the offer by intertwining their fingers, giving her hand a soft squeeze.  
"It's uh... its a few things, actually. But I'll start with why I invited you on the Waverider, in the first place," Sara started, and Alex squeezed back. "A couple of years ago, I... I lost my sister. Her name was Laurel, and I loved her with everything I had. That Damien Darhk stabbed her with an arrow, and she died in hospital. The anger, and guilt that I felt for not being able to save her... it- it took me down a dark path, and I almost lost myself to the darkness. But the Legends saved me from my darkness, and I've been getting better, ever so slowly."

"I'm sorry... I- I didn't-"

"It's alright, I never told you. I mean, the only thing we know about each other is what we both fight like. Beautiful, by the way," Sara smiled softly. "But I know what it's like to lose a sister, I know how it weighs on you. And when I saw you at the funeral, my heart just... broke. I saw how strong you were trying to be, and I saw right through it. I wanted to invite you onto the Waverider so I could... give you something else to think about. Take your mind off things, you know? I swear, all I wanted was to help you heal, and mourn Kara in a way better than I did with Laurel. But instead I was foolish, and I almost got you killed, and I am so, so sorry." She started to whimper, and Alex made an effort to squeeze her hand tighter than before.

"Hey, hey, Sara, I'm fine, okay? Look at me, I'm okay. You saved me." Alex cooed, and Sara felt hot tears in her eyes. "No, don't cry, I don't like it when people cry." She tried to joke, and luckily it made Sara chuckle somewhat. It melted her heart just a little bit, and she continued to speak in a hushed whisper, as that was all her body could muster.

"Look, I um... I didn't handle Kara's death well. God, I handled it awfully. That night you texted me, I was... drinking away the pain, because it hurt so bad I just wanted to make it stop. And if I had of continued down that path I'd end up... in a less than admirable position, let's just leave it at that. But I am so glad you brought me onto the Waverider. Because earlier, I got to feel again. I realised that there is so much left to see in this world, and that Kara wouldn't want me to sit around, and throw my life away. She'd want me to live my life, as best I could, and live up to her example." Alex started to sob, and Sara quickly wrapped her arms around the Agent and let her cry with some modicum of privacy.

"I've got you, Alex. I've got you." Sara whispered softly, humming in her ear.

"Kara would be... oh, God, Kara would be so disappointed in me... She hated when I used to drink my problems away. She'd be... ashamed of me, and I'm just embarrassing her memory." She whimpered quietly, and Sara shook her head, pulling back so they were both making eye contact.

"No, Alex. Kara would be immensely proud of the woman you are, right now. She'd understand you were hurting, but all I did was extend a hand to you. It was your strength, and your conviction that reached out to grab it. This," Sara waved her hand with a smile. "Is all you. Not me. I just gave you a push, while you ran the marathon. You should be proud of yourself, I know Kara would be." Alex looked up at her with sad eyes, and smiled softly.

"You uh," Alex wiped her eyes of tears with her sleeve. "You said there was more than one thing bothering you. Want to tell me what else?" She asked, clearly changing the topic. But Sara nonetheless obliged, and took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be fun, but it seems that her and Alex shared a bond which meant no lies would be kept between them.

"My ex-girlfriend, Ava. We were... just starting out when things went south. I wore this thing called the Death Totem, and it corrupted me. I nearly killed my entire team, and to spare Ava, I pushed her away. A little while later we talked, and we agreed that a relationship would compromise both the Time Bureau and the Legends. So we mutually agreed it was best to remain as friends, and nothin more. So now, I'm left here with a broken heart while I lead my team, and I'm afraid it's gonna get someone hurt, or worse." Sara sighed, and Alex leaned upwards to cup Sara's cheek, caressing it with her thumb softly.

"You are an incredible leader, Sara. Your team trusts you with their life, and I do as well. Especially after that nasty business with Cadmus," Alex shuddered, and felt a shiver run down her spine. "When Kara II broke my wrist, you protected me with your life, and I will never forget that, okay?" She whispered, and squeezed Sara's hand tighter. The two women sat there in silence for a few moments, feeling the warmth of each other's comfort and the peace it brought them. But there was something else lingering, something left unspoken, at least for the time being.

"Thank you, Alex." Sara smiled, and Alex made a mental note that that was the first time since she'd come onboard the Waverider that Sara had called her 'Alex' rather than 'Agent Danvers'. She felt it was more sincere, but somewhat missed the nickname she'd been given by her newly found friend.  
"I have a surprise for you," Sara chuckled, and Alex raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "But you have to wait, just a little bit. Get some sleep, okay? It'll be worth the wait, I promise you." She winked, and Alex groaned in annoyance but obeyed nonetheless and closed her eyes, falling into a deep slumber as she eagerly anticipated whatever surprise Sara had in store for her.

~~~

A short while later, Alex awoke once more. But this time it wasn't painful, nor discomforting. As she slowly awoke, Alex felt peaceful, and content. Whatever Gideon had done to her had obviously worked. She slowly sat up, and ran a hand through her hair, feeling how greasy and disgusting it was. She stuck out her tongue as she wiped her hand on her pant leg, and pulled herself out of the chair with a low whine, as her muscles were somewhat stiff. 

"Hey, Alex," Nate chimed in, peeking his head through the doorway. "Sara was calling for you in her quarters. I was just on my way to send Holt to the thirty-first century. Putting him back in nineteen-sixty-seven would screw up Australia's history majorly. But we found a spot where he can Life the rest of his life in peace. Ain't that right?" He asked, and Harold Holt also popped his head in the door with a nod and a smile.

"Ah! Ms. Danvers, I'm glad I caught you before you had to leave, I wanted to give you my gratitude for saving my life, and risking yours in the process. You're a hero, to me at least." Holt smiled kindly, and Alex smiled right back as she slowly walked over to him, and shook his hand with a firm grip.  
"Good day, Ms. Danvers." He smiled as he lowered his hand to his side, and turned to Nate who was absentmindedly playing with his hair. Alex had to admit, Nate kept amazing care of his luxurious hair, and it almost made her jealous. It was a unique look that not many people could pull off, but Nate could, easily.  
"You were taking me to the escape pod, was it?" He asked, and Nate shook his head. 

"Jump-ship. Come on, I'll explain everything on the way," Nate clapped him on the shoulder with a smile. "See you later, Alex! Don't forget what I said about Sara, otherwise she'll have my nuts in a vice." He called as he walked away, and Alex nodded with a chuckle as she tipped her head back a little. With a turn on her heels, Alex made her way through the hallways until she reached Sara's room. It was rather luxurious with a double bed in the middle, a dresser on the left side, and a massive walk in closet on the right. Considering it was the Captains Quarters, Alex wasn't surprised.

That was when she spotted a neatly folded note in the middle of the bed, with the words 'For Agent Danvers' written on the front in big letters. She reached out, and slowly unfolded the piece of paper in her hands, deciphering the handwriting with somewhat of a struggle. Kara never bothered to learn cursive when she was younger, so whenever Alex read anything she wrote it was always pristine and clear, and it never required a second read to understand it. But this hand writing was rather intricate, and graceful as the letters blended together at the tips and tails.

'Hey, Agent Danvers,

There's a dress in my closet with your name on the tag. Put it on the bed, have a shower, and get dressed. Meet me in the Brig in an hour. Any longer than that and I might get bored and wander off without you. Don't worry, Gideon will tell me when you've read the letter. 

Love, Sara'

Alex chuckled and went looking for the dress in the closet. There were so many of them, but eventually she found a beautiful black lace dress which would hug her figure nicely. With a pair of heels to match, at the bottom of the closet exactly beneath the dress itself. She grabbed both and put them on the bed, before stripping out of her dirty D.E.O. uniform and step into the shower, and turn on the water.

The shower was pleasant, with the warm water washing over her and cleaning the grime out of her hair. She cleaned herself from head to toe and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying herself with it swiftly. Luckily the Waveriders hair dryers were from the future, and that meant her hair would dry almost instantly. She moved back into Sara's room and put herself inside the dress, zipping up the back of it, and slipping her heels on. She bounced her hair as she stood in front of the mirror, admiring the curls that reached her neck with a smile. She found herself to look rather appealing, and thought of what Kara would say. She remember how often Kara would talk her up, and make her feel like she was beautiful, even if she were wearing track pants and a tank top. She smiled at the memory, and felt a tear roll down her cheek. She quickly tried it before it smudged her make up. Now wasn't a time for crying, Kara would want her to go out and enjoy herself. Even for just one night. She left Sara's room and walked down to the brig, eagerly awaiting Sara's surprise for her.

Upon reaching the Brig, Alex spotted Sara in a similar dress, but it was white rather than black. Her golden locks were curled at the bottom and her eyes were smoky with make up, with her cheeks holding a soft blush. She looked absolutely stunning, and Alex couldn't help but stare, and perhaps drool. She wasn't quite sure, considering she was day dreaming and walking on autopilot.

"You look... incredible, Sara." Alex mumbled, snapping back into reality. She blushed heavily upon realising what she'd done, and averted her gaze. But luckily, Sara only laughed and rolled her eyes fondly.

"As do you, Agent Danvers. You ready for your surprise?" Sara smirked, and took Alex's hand in hers. Alex eagerly nodded, and Sara pressed a button on the wall. It opened the bay door, and it dug into the stone with a soft thud as the gears stopped turning, and the door stopped moving.  
"Right this way," Sara gestured, and Alex obliged. "Magnifique." She added with a purr, and Alex felt a shiver run down her spine as Sara placed a hand on her back, guiding her down the ramp as if she were royalty.

"Where are we?" 

"March 31st, 1889," Sara smiled widely. "One hour before the Eiffel Tower was officially opened in Paris."

~~~

After a decent walk from the Waverider to their destination — which felt a lot longer in heels — both Sara, and Alex had finally arrived at their destination. They stood on a rooftop east of the Eiffel Tower, moments before its official opening ceremony. They had the entire rooftop to themselves, which meant privacy, and a perfect view. Beneath the monument which would stand for many centuries to come stood crowds of eager and excited men, women, and children, all cheering the celebrating the grand opening of an iconic monument. If only they knew how iconic it would truly grow to become.

Alex legitimately couldn't believe her eyes, at all. She was standing on a rooftop in Paris, about to witness the grand opening of the Eiffel Tower with her very own eyes. No screens, no re-enactment, no digital recreation, with her very own eyes. Unable to contain herself, Alex let a few years roll down her cheek, but they weren't of sorrow, or anger. They were of happiness, and pure unadulterated joy. She felt a hand on her shoulder and quickly tried to dry her eyes, before remembering how understanding Sara was. She didn't need to hide her emotions from the Captain of the Legends, at all. Instead she could let her guard down, and be true to herself. In fact, Sara found her unfiltered self rather attractive.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Sara smiled, putting an arm around Alex's waist, and tugging her in closer. "You know, I don't often get to experience events as beautiful as these. Usually I'm busy fixing anachronisms, or saving my team. It's not often I get to... smell the roses, as it were." Her voice was husky, and low. Alex placed a hand atop of Sara's and gently caressed her knuckles kindly as they watched the ceremony, moments before its climax.

"I hope it's not too... cliché, I just wanted to give you something special. Something to remind you of how beautiful the world can be, despite how awful it can be at the same time, when life get rough, and beats you down." Her voice sounded somewhat nervous, and Alex chuckled sweetly, shaking her head slowly.

"I am never going to forget this moment, Sara," Alex turned to face Sara with a smile, and her eyes bounced back and forth between her eyes, and her lips. "Ever. Thank you, I mean it." She whispered, and found herself being drawn in, like there was a force pulling the two women together. Just as their lips were about to touch, they both froze in place, their breath on each other's lips, tempting one another harshly.  
"I don't think that either of us are ready for a relationship right now, Sara. We both have our issues we need to work out," Alex sounded sad, even more so when Sara sighed in disappointment. "But... one day, I think we can make this work." She whispered lowly, and heard the other woman's breath hitch.  
"Just for tonight though," Alex leaned in a little further, grazing Sara's lips. "Let's forget about our problems, and embrace who we ar-" Before she could finish, Sara closed the gap and suddenly the two women were deep in a kiss, losing themselves in each other's comfort. 

Alex found her hands gently resting on Sara's hips, pulling her closer into the kiss. Sara placed her hands on Alex's shoulders and squeezed gently, tugging her that little bit closer to fully close the gap. Tonight, Alex felt whole again. She let her mind wander for just a second to Kara, and what her sister would think of her. She smiled into the kiss, knowing full well her sister would be immensely proud of her for moving on with her life, rather than throwing it away or drowning it in alcohol. Eventually, the two women pulled away, and stared at each other in adoration, their eyes twinkling in the light from the nearby torch as it flickered, perfectly illuminating the rather large rooftop.

"Dance with me?" Sara quirked, her eyes practically pleading. Fireworks were exploding in the sky around the Eiffel Tower, and many people were cheering in delight.

"It'd would my honour." Alex replied, twirling Sara out, and back in. Their bodies pressed together as they shared another quick kiss before falling into the trance of the waltz.

~~~

Waking up the next morning, Sara felt firm arms wrapped around her. At first her mind seemed to neglect the information it'd received last night, but a second later it caught up to her, and the Captain relaxed into the grip, snuggling further into the blankets and closer to Alex who was still fast asleep. The rise and fall of her chest steady, and almost hypnotic. It was almost enough to send Sara back to sleep, but she decided to remain awake, and bask in her enjoyment. They weren't a couple, as of yet. But a night together gave them a taste of what perhaps would come to pass, and Sara desperately wished it would.

If they could conquer their demons, and find themselves in a better place on day, Sara really wanted to attempt a relationship with Alex. She wanted one right now, but respected Alex's wishes to deal with her own problems, and her request for Sara to do the same. She could wait, because Sara saw a wonderful potential future with Alex, and wasn't about to squander that chance for anything.

As Sara and Alex lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, the Waverider was perfectly quiet. No one was fighting in the Brig, no one was rummaging in the kitchen — which meant Mick wasn't awake yet — and no one was blasting music or playing video games with the volume up way too loud. It was strangely peaceful, and Sara was perfectly happy to lay there and only listen to the sound of her not-yet-girlfriends steady breathing until her responsibilities forced her to untangle herself and wake up. But at least the Legends would find her more chipper today, as they usually did after Sara had a 'successful expedition' as she so elegantly put it.

"Captain Lance." Gideon spoke up in a whisper, and Sara rolled her eyes. At least she wasn't going to wake up Alex, but the volume did disturb the assassin at least somewhat. She squirmed a little before laying perfectly still and falling back further into sleep. Sara raised her hand to silence Gideon and crawled out of bed, adjusting her tank top and grabbing a dressing gown from her closet. She walked outside her room and closed the door behind her, allowing Alex to sleep in peace and not be disturbed by Gideon.

"What is it, Gideon?" Sara muttered as she yawned stretching her arms out wide with a soft groan as her muscles loosened up somewhat. Before Gideon could respond, a holographic image of Caitlin Snow appeared in the hallway, and Sara was suddenly very glad she was wearing pants.  
"Woah, hey, Caitlin. What's uh... what's up?" Sara asked, trying to play it cool. But Caitlin saw right through it. Her hair was a mess, one strap of her tank top had slipped down her bicep, and she was more chipper than usual. Caitlin knew Sara had just gotten laid, and resisted the urge to chuckle.

"Sorry, I don't mean to disturb you, Sara. But... I think Alex should come back to twenty-eighteen and see this for herself." Sara noticed how strangely excited, and perhaps relieved Caitlin was sounding, and quirked a brow. Why was Caitlin sounding so happy? Team Flash were all mourning the loss of Kara, dearly. Only by Sara's intervention had Alex finally taken the first step to healing from her loss.

"What's that? Is something wrong?" Sara placed a hand on her hip, and tilted her head to the side somewhat. That was when she saw the smile break out on Caitlin's face, unable to be contained any longer. It was infectious, but Sara resisted its charm and held her composure as she stared at Caitlin, wit a firm but fair level of eye contact. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, and Sara's mind was scrambling for theories on what Caitlin could be so excited about, and how it would relate to Alex in any way. But only one answer kept coming up, and Sara kept dismissing it immediately. Because it was impossible, or so she thought.

"It's..." Caitlin hesitated, and her eyes watered in happiness. "It's Kara."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	16. El Mayarah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: And now, the resolution to the cliffhanger I left y'all on on Wednesday. Not much to say today, so I'll leave you all be. Enjoy El Mayarah! And lemme know what you think!

In the wake of Kara's passing, National City's crime rate had skyrocketed. All of the lowlife humans, and aliens alike, were crawling out of their holes; taking advantage of the Girl of Steel's sudden absence. Of course none — but a select few — knew the truth of the matter. But that didn't stop every news outlet, and amateur blog, throwing out theories and speculation as to where the Girl of Steel had gotten off to. Many theories hit the nail on the head, and it only made matters worse that they were becoming more and more frequent by the day. People were starting to catch on that their beloved hero had met a gruesome fate at the hands of a rival Kryptonian known as Reign. A genetically augmented Kryptonian many civilisations across the universe came to know as Worldkiller; before justice was dispensed on their world, and it was left in ruins.

Despite Clark's efforts to protect both Metropolis and National City, there was only so much the Man of Steel could accomplish on his own. Of course Guardian was spotted almost every night, stepping into the shoes most would rather leave unfilled. Even the NCPD had stopped their witch hunt of the vigilante, and favoured letting him act in Supergirl's absence so that they could focus their extremely thinly spread forces on more important and urgent matters. But Guardian was a man in a suit — and while being able to hold his own — was no replacement for the Girl of Steel. But not for lack of trying.   
Criminals didn't have as much to fear from Guardian as they once did from Supergirl, and it was showing. Despite the effort of both heroes, National City's crime rate was skyrocketing at a tremendous rate, with no signs of slowing down.  
Admitting that the Girl of Steel was dead would only insight chaos, and worsen their current situation. And keeping the information under wraps allowed all those currently mourning the loss of Kara Danvers come privacy, in order to come to terms with their loss. Everyone was reeling from their loss, and they were all coping in their own way. Some of them threw themselves into their work, like James and Winn. Others were working on finding Reign and extracting vengeance, like Alex. Some were crying themselves to sleep every night, staring at photo albums of their daughter, like Eliza. Others were refusing to break down, in order to preserve the memory of their surrogate daughter, like J'onn. Some were carrying the weight of an entire species on their back, like Clark. And others were drinking away their pain day after day, and shutting themselves off from the rest of the world in an attempt to cope with the loss of their best, and only friend, like Lena.

Another bottle of expensive scotch down, and Lena didn't feel any better. No matter how much she drank, thoughts of Kara flooded her mind, lingering like images from an old dream. She'd wished them away many times, but they persisted nonetheless. It probably didn't help that Lena was sat on Kara's couch, wrapped in a blanket that smelt like her best friend, in complete silence; staring at the boxes that were supposed to full by now. She'd offered to empty Kara's apartment, and ensure nothing of value was misplaced, and nothing incriminating was discovered. But upon arriving at the apartment of her best friend, all the wounds were ripped open, and a fresh set of emotions formed by grief consumed her. It'd been hours since she'd forced herself to open the door, and not a single thing was packed away. Instead she was glued to the couch; alternating between holding a picture frame with a photo of the Danvers family in it, and a bottle of scotch that peeled the skin off the inside of her throat as she drank straight from the bottle like a teenager at an eighteenth birthday party.  
After another hour of sobbing on the couch, Lena was finally too drunk to feel anything. She pulled herself to her feet, and walked over to place the picture frame in one of the boxes, and smiled down at it sadly. She went to walk back over to the coffee table and grab a few other photos when suddenly a blur burst through the window, and broke one of the windows, it's glass shattering into millions of tiny little pieces, scatting across the floor like confetti. Shielding her eyes from the sudden explosion, Lena recoiled and crawled into a crouching position, only peering through the gaps in between her fingers once she'd heard the glass settle, and whatever was inside had settled after their sudden landing. Despite the fact that she was hammered, Lena would recognise that figure anywhere. But she knew it was just a hallucination, or a dream she was trapped in that was orchestrating this sudden unbelievable sight.

"K-Kara? No... you're not... No, I'm drunk. This isn't real, I'm just- No. This isn't real." Lena stammered to find the words, and shook her head. She rubbed her eyes, trying to dispel the hallucination of her best friend from her vision, but to no avail. As soon as her vision cleared, Kara was still standing there, eyes glazed over. She looked like she was in a trance, and her movements were slurred. She turned to walk around the apartment, curiously running her fingers over objects that she recognised, and almost completely ignoring Lena, if not for a few short glances her way ever so often. And once Lena realised this wasn't a hallucination, or a dream, and that Kara was actually standing there right in front of her — curiously examining her personal belongings as if they were once familiar but now unrecognisable — the CEO of L-Corp felt like the entire universe was crashing down on her, and she could barely stand. But she forced herself to remain upright, and watch Kara carefully as the Kryptonian moved around her apartment like a feline exploring a new environment for the first time.  
It was an odd experience, and Lena couldn't quite tell if she were dreaming or not. While that may have been partially due to the tremendous amount of alcohol she'd consumed earlier that day, many dreams like this had plagued her mind in recent nights. They felt so realistic, until finally she was rudely awoken to a harsh reality, and forced to power through yet another day in a multiverse darkened by the loss of Kara Danvers. But this encounter was longer than most, and it wasn't like the others. Usually Kara would be energised, and bouncing around, rambling on about how she came back from the dead, and each time it was different. Magical jacuzzis, time travel, doppelgängers, etc. But this time was incomparable, and despite the fact that this scenario was perhaps worse, and more frightening than the others, Lena prayed the harshness came from reality, not her own mind.

Kara didn't seem to be responding to much, Lena had tried calling her name, but the Kryptonian seemed to either be ignoring her, or rather not hearing her entirely. All she was doing was aimlessly walking around her apartment, and fiddling with objects that seemed to hold sentimental value. Glasses, jewellery, and photos just to name a few of them. She didn't seem hostile at all, rather docile instead. She was only interested in her own belongings, and Lena had to move out of her way or risk being knocked aside many times over.

"Kara," Lena started, hoping Kara would hear her on at least a subconscious level. "I know you're in there somewhere, Kara. Look I- I don't- I don't know what's wrong with you, right now. But I promise I'll keep you safe, and I'll do everything in my power to help you." Her heart skipped a beat when Kara turned her head to look at Lena, and the CEO's eyes watered when she saw a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. At least Kara could hear her, at least on a subconscious level. 

"I'm just... I'm so happy to see you, Kara," Lena started to break down, and her voice trembled. "Every night, I don't sleep. I just lay awake staring at the ceiling because if I close my eyes, I dream about you dying. I see your body... laying so still and it hurts like hell. Oh, God and now I- God, I feel like I can hope again. I- I can't lose you, Kara. Not again! I can't- I can't do that-" Lena started to hyperventilate, and became short of breath. She clutched her chest as she tried to recover from her impending anxiety attack, but never once had she managed to save herself. She only managed to ride it out, and it felt like an eternity.

"Lena! Oh, Rao!" Kara cried out, and rushed to kneel in front of Lena, taking the CEO's head in her hands and staring directly into her eyes, her lips curved into a sweet smile. Lena forced herself to stare back at Kara, but the sudden lack of oxygen was her main cause for concern, and she desperately heaved in order to correct the aberration.

"Hey, hey, Lena. Focus on my words, okay? Listen to my voice. Just breathe in," Kara cooed, and Lena obeyed. "And out. That's it, Lena. In, and out. Just follow my breathing, okay?" As she continued the breathing exercise, Lena eventually managed to breath just fine on her own. She pulled herself back a few steps and closed her eyes, taking a second to compose herself and let her mind rest. Despite how awful her anxiety attacks were, Lena was grateful that this one had seemingly returned Kara to her former self.

"You're okay, Lena, I'm here. And I'm never going to abandon you, ever again." She whispered softly, and Lena stuffed her head in the crook of Kara's neck and let all the bottled up emotions out all at once. Kara couldn't do much except rub her best friends back, and let her cry. No words could express how truly sorry she was for leaving her friends and family behind. And truth be told, Kara wasn't sure if anyone would be able to forgive her. After a few more minutes of sobbing, exhaustion finally caught up to Lena, and the CEO was claimed by sleep, her vision going black as she fell into a slumber in Kara's arms.

~~~

Sunlight poured through the thin curtains in the bedroom, and stopped in their tracks once they reached Lena. The CEO of L-Corp groaned as she rolled over to hide from the blinding light, and to nurse her pounding headache. She was severely dehydrated, and her entire body was screaming at her for being so reckless as to push herself so close to alcohol poisoning. But something felt off, and it wasn't the hangover. This wasn't her bed, or her bedroom.  
Lena rolled over and laid on her back, taking in all of her surroundings. She wasn't in her own bed, rather in Kara's bed. She immediately scrambled through the fractured memories of last night in order to piece together why she was sleeping in her best friends bed when she was supposed to be packing up her apartment, locking the door, and walking away forever.   
Small flashes came back to her, and she remembered seeing Kara in the flesh. She slammed her hand into the bedside table, cursing herself for allowing herself to believe that it wasn't a dream, and that Kara was actually back. She couldn't believe how foolish she'd been to allow herself that moment of weakness. If she'd only allowed herself to realise that of course Kara wasn't coming back, maybe then she wouldn't be in tears with her wounds recently ripped open as a result.

But that was when she saw it, a note with familiar hand writing. Her heart started to thud deep in her chest and she scrambled to grab it, rubbing her eyes to remove the sleep, and clear her vision. It still wasn't perfect due to the severe hangover, but Lena could read the note nonetheless. She unfolded the piece of paper fully, and began to read slowly, making sure to not miss a single detail scribbled on the paper in a haste judging by the sloppy cursive and lack of dotted i's.

'Hey, Lena,  
I'm so sorry I can't be with you right now, I know what I'm doing is selfish, and arrogant. And I know you'll probably be very angry at me when I return, but I promise I will return. I had to go back to Earth-1. My friends, and my sister are in danger, their lives are being threatened by a Kryptonian and a Speedster. They don't stand a chance against them, at least without me. I have this feeling I was brought back for a reason, and I believe this is that reason. I have a duty to help people, and to save lives. And if I let these monsters kill my friends, and destroy their world, and ours, I'll never be able to live with myself. I hope you understand, Lena. I really do. But I promise I won't let Reign win, and I'll beat her this time.  
El Mayarah. I'll tell you what that means when I get back.'

Lena carefully folded the note back up, and put it back on the bedside table. She let tears roll down her cheeks, and her fists clench. Of course she was furious her best friend was throwing herself head first into danger, and putting her life in danger yet again. But as mad as she was, Lena couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by joy that her best friend was alive, and well. And that last night wasn't a fever dream playing games with her. She only prayed that Kara would stay true to her word, and that this time she'd be able to defeat Reign. And as anxious as she was for her best friends safety, Lena knew Kara was tough as nails, and wouldn't make the same mistake twice. She had faith, and that was something Kara had instilled in her from the day they met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	17. The Essence of Heroism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we begin, I want to dedicate this chapter to Kaaz Marhan! I know what you're going through is scary, but I know you can adjust, and get through it. And I'm honoured to be able to help you with this story. I hope you enjoy the rest of it, and it's nice to have you along for the ride. And now that Kara's back, I hope you all will enjoy the rest of it, and can dry your eyes. Enjoy, The Essence of Heroism!

S.T.A.R. Labs was eerily quiet in the early hours of the morning, and Barry usually found it disconcerting. The lights were all dimmed, and the hallway was barely illuminated by the lights coming from the Cortex which were rarely — if ever — switched off. Harry usually liked to work late, which meant it was more beneficial to leave them on, rather than switch them off and leave him stumbling around in the dark, trying to find the light switch when he could be putting his distaste of sleep to better use. But no one was clattering around, or mumbling curse words under their breath which couldn't be repeated on network television in a million years. 

Walking through the hallway, Barry gingerly sipped his coffee as he read the local news on his phone, scrolling through the pages of information for any signs of the Reverse Flash, or Reign terrorising the city. But so far they'd gone completely radio silent, and that made Barry extremely worried. Why would a Speedster, and a Kryptonian be biding their time? It didn't make any sense, and Barry had half a mind to toss his phone across the room in frustration, until he remembered how expensive the device was and how a single burst of anger wasn't worth four-hundred dollars in repairs. He stuffed it back in his pocket, and took another long sip of his coffee. It was scolding hot, but Barry didn't much care. He groaned as the burning liquid scorched his throat on the way down and turned the corner into the Cortex, where it was completely empty. He sighed deeply, remembering his dream from a while ago. That would be the ideal scenario here, but alas, Kara was gone forever, and Barry had to find some way to live with that.

He hit the keyboard a few times until the display lit up, and entered the password in the blink of an eye. He found typing while using his speed was really enjoyable, and made simple tasks which would take a long time almost instantaneous. Even though using his speed made it feel like he was working on dialup speeds with a computer from the nineties to couple up. Entering Flashtime made everyone and everything go so unbearably slow, and Netflix's loading times were like an eternity for a Speedster. The entire room was lit up, and Barry pulled up all the information S.T.A.R. Labs had gathered on Thawne, and Reign. He'd studied this data over and over and over again, but nothing new could be found. Even if they did attack, Barry would he helpless to stop Reign. She was virtually un-unstoppable, especially without Kara. 

Team Flash were sitting ducks in all honesty. Of course they'd do their absolute best to save Earth-1 from Reign and her ideals of justice, but it wouldn't do much. She walked like a lion among sheep, and even Barry's speed couldn't come close to rivalling her array of abilities. But that didn't mean Barry was giving up hope. It was that he'd accepted that this battle may be his last, and coming to terms with it seemed the best way to handle it.   
They'd been in tough spots before, but Reign was unlike anything she'd ever faced before. And combine her abilities with Thawne's, and they were a dynamic duo that could level entire cities overnight. Th thought was terrifying, and it made Barry sick to the stomach. But he would rather die fighting than let those monsters walk all over his Earth, and kill the people he'd sworn to protect. The Flash was a hero, and heroes don't ever give up.

That was when a breach appeared on the centre of the Cortex, and Barry felt the lightning surge through his veins. He steeled himself for a fight, and dropped in a defensive stance. Many times had people invaded S.T.A.R. Labs trying to kill the Flash and his allies, and taking the chance wasn't an option. 

But instead of an adversary looking for the Flash's blood, or S.T.A.R. Labs' help to fuel their evil scheme.

"No... no, no, I- I don't... I-" Barry stammered over his words, eyes welling with tears. "This isn't real, I'm dreaming again. God damn it, I'm dreaming again." He closed his eyes, pinching his arm to wake himself up. But no release came, and Barry opened his eyes and finally realised this wasn't a dream, it was reality, and his whole world just exploded. He slowly walked forward, and placed his hand on their cheek, feeling the familiar warmth, and their scent fill his nose and bring a simple joy to him, one that he'd been deprived off ever since she died.

"It's me, Barry," They smiled, a tear rolling down their cheek. "It's Kara." She slowly wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into her chest, feeling his body be racked by sobs as she desperately fought off her own. He grabbed onto her cape as tight as he possibly could and yanked on it, trying to comprehend the whole mess of emotions shrouding his mind. Everything he'd held back since her death finally came to the surface, and he sobbed into her as she rubbed his back soothingly, whispering soft nothings into his ear as he wept.

"I'm here, Barry. I'm here, okay? Nothing is gonna keep me away from you." She let a few tears fall as she held her fiancé as he sobbed into her.

"How are you... Kara, how are you here?" Barry pulled himself away, and stared her in the eyes. "I saw you... I watched you die, I died... your heart stopped, I saw it! Please I- I want this to be real, Kara, I do more than you know... but I- I just can't believe it." Barry shook his head, desperately trying to make sense of everything that was going on. This was exactly like his dream, but all the signs weren't there. He could read, time wasn't skipping without reasonable explanation, Barry was inclined to believe this was real. But if Kara couldn't answer this question, Barry knew he was dreaming, and this was some sick game his own mind was playing for some reason unbeknownst to him. 

"After I... fought Reign, I woke up in the Valley of Juru. It was a place on Krypton, my Mom used to tell me about it when I was a little girl. It's like this endless forest, where the Wizards of Juru used to dwell. And since I fought Reign, I've been there, wandering around aimlessly." Kara shuddered as she spoke, choking on her words as flashbacks of a Reign struck her in a locomotive. Images of Reign's fists flying at her face, or those glowing red eyes looking down upon her like a predator to its prey.   
"But a few days ago, I just woke up in my grave. I panicked and uh... burst through the ground. Let's just say my gravestone isn't exactly as beautiful as it once was." She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Luckily it worked, and Barry chuckled as well. But she noticed Barry still didn't look convinced, and it hurt. But she understood why. She had a hard time believing Astra was alive, and that Alura had used her to trap Astra and sentence her to Fort Rozz. It was hard to cope with the fact that everything you thought was true was actually a lie.

"You're here? No tricks? You're not some evil doppelgänger, or a shape shifter, or a hallucination?" Barry asked, and Kara gently grabbed Barry's hand, bringing it to her cheek so he could feel the warmth of her skin, and understand this wasn't some trick. He shuddered as her touch, and smiled widely when he finally accepted the truth.  
"It's... it's really you, isn't it? Oh, God, Kara I- I missed you so much!" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a deep kiss, to which she happily reciprocated with a smile creeping onto her face.

"You were with me the whole time." 

~~~

Alex had no idea why Sara had suddenly dropped her off back in twenty-eighteen with no other explanation other than a cryptic one-liner informing her that she'd see for herself upon arrival. She wasn't much of a fan of surprises, but Sara didn't seem like the kind of person to pull a stunt like this unless it was vitally important. She walked through the halls of S.T.A.R. Labs and felt uncomfortable. There was a tension in the air, lingering from the grief everyone on Team Flash was feeling. There had been fights, and arguments as a result of Kara's passing, and Alex was so happy she'd managed to get out, just for a short while. Even though it meant getting mortally wounded by Damien Darhk, and almost getting killed. As well as being unable to decide where she stood with Sara at that moment in time. But that was a problem for later, right now, Alex had important business to attend to.

Everything was eerily quiet, except for the muffled sounds of conversation inside the Cortex. Alex put on her mask to hide her emotions, and turned the corner, only for her metaphorical mask shattered, and her knees threaten to give way as they bucked as her body was ridden with shock. She stood there, eyes wide as her hands trembled, unable to form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence. As she locked eyes with her sister, Kara dashed forward and enveloped her sister in a tight hug, and squeezed just hard enough to show her affection, but not enough to crush her.

Cisco, Caitlin, and Barry all left the room to give the Danvers sisters some peace and quiet. On his way past, Barry looked down at Kara who silently mouthed the words 'thank you' before stuffing her head back in Alex's shoulder to give he sister the physical comfort she'd been desperate for.   
Kara could only imagine how much Alex had been hurting, and judging by Caitlin's explanation, it was a tremendous amount. She felt guilty for leaving her friends and family behind to suffer as she slept and her consciousness found itself in Juru. But all of that didn't matter anymore, she was back, and Kara could finally be with the people she loved. She felt utterly blessed by Rao for this second chance at life, and wasn't going to waste a single moment of it.

"I'm sorry, Kara... I just... After you died I couldn't handle- I just kept drinking, and drinking and I am so so-" Alex tried to apologise, but Kara shook her head and placed her hand over Alex's mouth, her lips curving upwards into a soft smile as she tried to comfort her sister. She pulled her back into a hug, and rubbed her back soothingly. Alex had absolutely nothing to apologise for at all, if anyone did, it was Kara.

"No, no, no, Alex. You have nothing to apologise for, at all, I am so proud of you, okay?" Kara whispered, and Alex looked up with sad and confused eyes. She smiled softly, and combed her fingers through Alex's hair with a sweet smile, nodding her head slowly to emphasis her point.

"Caitlin told me everything, and I know how much you were hurting. But you didn't run and hide, Alex. You stayed to look for Reign, and when Sara invited you on the Waverider, I am so proud you took that offer, okay? Rao, I am so, so, so proud of you. Don't feel like you need to apologise to me, okay? Because you don't, and I love you, Alex." She whispered, and Alex nodded slowly as she took in those words, and felt a sense of relief wash over her. She thought that if Kara ever did come back that she'd be utterly disappointed in her actions, but it was the exact opposite.

"And I also heard that you and a certain Lance spent some quality time together." Kara wiggled her eyebrows, and Alex weakly punched her arm with a soft laugh.

"I'll tell you about that later." Alex huffed, and Kara giggled. Taking a few steps back from Alex and allowing her sister some room to breathe. She noticed there was still a little bit of tension, but it was quickly subsiding. Alex wasn't holding her shoulders back, nor keeping her back so utterly straight that it almost hurt to even look upon. She looked a lot more casual, and relaxed. But it would be a few days before everyone was back to normal, and Kara fully accepted that. But now wasn't the time for celebrations, Kara made a promise to Lena, and to herself that she'd take down Reign before that monster could hurt anyone she loved. She was absolutely terrified of her, but Kara knew that bowing down wasn't an option. Heroes don't ever give up, and Kara would rather die than let this Worldkiller hurt anyone, innocent or not.

"Alex," Kara spoke up, steeling herself. She didn't want to show any fear, despite how much of it she truly felt. "Where's Reign?"

~~~

"Hold on, let me get this straight." Harry started, raising his hand. Kara nodded in confirmation as she crossed her arms over her chest. He went over to the board and grabbed a marker, scribbling down as parts of the explanation as he spoke, clearly trying to process and compartmentalise Kara's plan.  
"You want Barry to run in and confront the Reverse Flash, and Reign. Taunt them until they attack, full well knowing they could both kick his ass," Barry went to interject but Caitlin jabbed his side and effectively silenced him. "Then once they attack, you burst out of nowhere and fight back. Then you — somehow — defeat Reign, and take her back to your Earth as a prisoner of the D.E.O. Ignoring the fact that she's stronger than you in almost every way possible, and Barry is only a match for Thawne?" He finished explaining, and Kara simply nodded. She'd have put it more elegantly, but that was the gist of it.

"That about sums it up, yes." Kara confirmed, quirking a brow.

"Sure. Let's do it." Harry agreed, and Barry's eyes went wide in utter confusion.

"I'm sorry, what? No! No, Kara, no! We're not putting you anywhere near Reign, she almost killed you!" Barry cried out, and Caitlin went to try and calm him down but he managed to wriggle away from her. He looked mortified by the plan, and refused to accept that it was — objectively — a good plan.  
"We'll think of another plan, maybe we can get some Kryptonite, weaken Reign, and keep in S.T.A.R. Labs for testing." He tried, and everyone shook their heads. Even Alex who was reluctantly going along with the plan.

"Barry. This is our best shot at stopping Reign, okay? I know you're scared, honey, I know, I am too," Kara walked up and cupped Barry's cheek, looking into his eyes as she spoke. "Look, I know Reign almost killed me. But I survived, didn't I? What kind of a hero would I be if I squandered his opportunity and let Reign kill everyone, and everything I know?" Kara spoke slowly, and calmly, losing her temper would only further the divide.   
"You're all in Reign's crosshairs, remember? I can't let her hurt you, and we have the element of surprise here. If we play our cards right, I know we can finally stop Reign, and Thawne. Once and for all." Kara tried to explain herself in more detail, but Barry was having none of it.

"No, Kara, I watched you die once, I won't do it again. We'll find another way, but I cannot let you commit suicide!" Barry argued, and looked amongst the entire group. He felt like he was being attacked, and ganged up on. He couldn't understand why everyone else — let alone Alex — was even remotely okay with this insane plan. 

"Seriously? You're all okay with this? Letting Kara go out and commit suicide?" He asked, and Kara grabbed his hand, pulling him off of the Cortex and into the hallway.

"Kara, what the he-" Barry went to ask her a question, but Kara silenced him by slamming him into the wall and pressing her lips against his. He didn't even consider fighting, instead kissed back vigorously. Something he'd dreamed of doing for many nights since her death. She pulled away, and placed his hand against the top of her crest.

"Barry, I love you. And I cannot stomach the thought of Reign hurting you. Or Alex, or Caitlin, or Cisco, or Lena, or Winn, or anyone else that I care about. This is our only chance to stop Reign, and I know you're scared, baby. I'm really scared as well, but I have to do this. For everyone and everything that I have ever loved. If I don't do this, innocent people will die and it'll be my fault. Please, Barry, I am begging you to help me. I can't do this alone," Kara sighed, and let a tear roll down her cheek. "I need you, please." She begged, and Barry took a deep breathing, carefully considering his options. On the one hand, this plan was foolish and wasn't exactly airtight. But if Barry was nearby, he could protect Kara. And maybe catching Reign off guard was the best way to stop her.

"Damnit, Kara... I love you too." Barry smiled softly. "Alright, I'll- I'll help you." Barry agreed, and Kara bounced up and down excitedly, planting another swift kiss on his lips.

"Yes! Okay, thank you! Rao, I- I know this is scary. But we can do this," Kara placed her hand atop of Barry's which was resting on her crest, feeling her heartbeat. "Together. I know we can." She whispered, and Barry smiled softly, nodding in agreement.

"We win, and we lose as a team." Barry agreed, and Kara eagerly nodded. She went to drag Barry back into the Cortex but he resisted her pull, and Kara quirked her brow curiously in response. "You go on ahead, I've gotta make a call first."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	18. Is To Die So Others May Live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I love doing these authors notes. Sometimes they're teasing, others they're funny, and sometimes they're just this because it's midnight in Australia and I'm tired and rambling, help. This was a monster of a chapter to write, and to edit by meekayylaa so I hope y'all enjoy!

Barry was really regretting following along with this absurd plan. But Kara was right; if they didn't stop her here and now, Reign would kill countless innocents. And their blood would be on the hands of not only the Worldkiller, but the heroes who chose not to stop her.   
They had the element of surprise at their disposal, and they were going to use it. Being a hero means trying to save as many people as you can, and while sometimes that doesn't mean everybody, you don't ever give up. 

Arriving at Dayton Opticals, Barry felt a familiar sense of dread crawl up his spine. He turned his head to the left, and looked at the spot where Kara had stood right before the initial battle between the heroes and villains had taken place. He shuddered harshly, but shook off the uncomfortableness festering underneath his skin. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, feeling his muscles loosen somewhat. He was going to need every advantage he could possibly get, and the physical act of cracking his neck was somewhat tranquil, despite how much Joe and Iris both utterly hated it during his childhood. They both dubbed it 'repulsive' and 'unsettling' but that didn't stop Barry doing it at every opportunity he got.

"I'm here," Barry called out into the night sky, feeling some water land on his exposed cheeks, narrowly avoiding his eyes. "I'm here, Reign, I know you can hear me! Come on down, and face me like a woman!" He cried out loudly, but no one came. He took another deep breath, and called out once more.  
"You live by a code of honour, and I bet hiding like a coward isn't part of it! Show me you're worth, Worldkiller! Show me what you're made of!" 

He knew taunting the Worldkiller was an awful idea, but if this plan was accordingly, Barry would be fine, if not a few cuts and bruises might be sustained. He heard a loud bang seconds later, similar to that of the sound barrier breaking. It was followed by the sound of concrete shattering beneath the weight of a behemoth force. He shielded his eyes from the debris, and was somewhat astounded, and simultaneously terrified that Reign had actually answered his summons.

"You dare summon me, Speedster? A Worldkiller?" Reign cocked her head, slowly striding forward while Barry didn't even move a muscle.   
"Eobard Thawne spoke somewhat highly of your intelligence, but I see now you're nothing but hubris wrapped in a red and gold suit." Reign bit back, and Barry chuckled.   
Of course the big bad Worldkiller couldn't resist some playground insults in the face of a cocky opponent. Truth be told, Reign could lay him out, and Barry full well knew it. But showing fear was what she wanted, and Barry wasn't going to satisfy her twisted nature any further.

"Didn't expect to see me tonight, did you?" Barry narrowed his eyes at her, matching his stance with some ferocity. But Reign wasn't interested in his antics, although her curiosity was peaked. Otherwise she'd have surged forward and snapped his neck like a twig, leaving Central City's protector a broken corpse in the road. 

"I'm not gonna let you kill whoever you want, whenever you want. This only ends one way, and I'm giving you a chance to surrender." Barry pulled a pair of cuffs from his belt, and tossed him to the floor in front of him.   
"You want justice in the world? So do I. But we're not going to find it by terrorising people, and killing people." He almost pleaded, a small ounce of hope driving his actions. He knew it was futile, but offering her a chance was in his D.N.A.

"You posses true courage," Reign stepped forward, and lifted her chin. "In light of that, I'm going to offer you one last chance. Stand down, or I will make you join your Supergirl in her purgatory." Her voice dripped with venom, but sincerity shined through. If Barry took this deal and honoured it, Reign would act true to her word and spare his life. Although, Barry wasn't fighting to live. He was fighting for the people of Central City, and in this case, not only just this city, but two whole worlds.

"I can't stand idly by while you hurt, and kill people. And If I have to sacrifice myself to stop you, I will." Barry replied, and shook his head. Reign grinned, and raised her fist into the air, but Barry didn't move. She was fast, but Barry was faster. He could at least dodge one of her punches, if not two or three.

"I'm dispensing justice," Reign growled, her fists trembling in anger. "But I don't expect you to understand. You're too weak to see the truth!" She barked, taking a swing at Barry but stopping mid swing as her hearing picked up a noise behind her, and she turned to peer over her shoulder, her eyes wide in shock.

"Well, I believe in truth," Kara chirped, floating proudly in the air, her hands on her hips as she looked down upon Reign, and Barry. "But I'm also a big fan of justice." She nodded, and crossed her arms over her chest. It was clear that Reign was more than a little confused by this whole situation, but her confusion quickly turned to anger as she spun her whole body towards Kara, and dropped into a defensive stance.

"Yeah. Bet you-" Barry was absurdly cut off by something massive slamming into his back at high speeds, he heard Kara calling his name but could only focus on his blurry vision. Once it cleared, Barry grimaced at the sight of Thawne standing over him, red eyes glowing ominously in the darkness.

"Didn't see that coming? Neither did you, Flash." Thawne growled, and Barry rushed him immediately. No more small talk, no more banter, and no more jokes. This rivalry ended tonight, one way or the other. Kara took the opportunity to grab Reign by the throat, but unfortunately the Worldkiller had excellent reflexes, and managed to catch Kara's hand. She punched her in the mouth, and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her into the air, and throwing into one of Dayton Opticals warehouses, and bursting through the ceiling shortly afterwards with a grin on her face. Kara slowly pulled herself from the rubble, and raised his fists, preparing for a hard fight.

"I'm gonna make you sure that when you die this time, you stay dead." Reign hissed.

"You're a monster," Kara bared her teeth. "And I'm gonna stop you." She flew right at Reign, and the battle began once again.

The Flash vs Reverse Flash, and Supergirl vs. Reign.

~~~

Central City was all but frozen, it's citizens were moving so utterly slowly compared to the two veteran Speedsters trading blows as they ran side by side, dodging any and all obstacles in their path. Ever since Barry came out of the Speed Force, the Scarlet Speedster was faster than any other Speedster Team Flash has ever come across, but Thawne was far more experienced and cunning. He had a few tricks up his sleeve, and fighting dirty wasn't off the table for him. For Barry, however, fighting including honour, and Barry wasn't going to resort to low blows in order to best his opponents. Maybe this would be different if Kara was still six-feet under, but her return had instilled hope in him, and Barry would prove he was the bigger, and faster man of the two.

Thawne tried to sweep Barry's leg, but with quick thinking, Barry jumped over the leg and turned his whole body to deliver rapid fire blows to Thawne's side, forcing the Reverse Flash to put some distance between the two and charge. It caught Barry off guard, and a strike to his jaw temporarily disoriented him. But the second blow was avoided with a duck, and Barry wound back a punch, delivering a devastating strike to Thawne's chest which sent the Speedster tumbling backwards, and gasping for air. But as Barry ran forward to grab his throat, Thawne dashed up the side of a tall building and vanished from view onto the roof. Barry cursed himself momentarily and followed suite, narrowly avoiding a close line which would have result in him falling to his unsavoury death. He punched the back of Thawne's knee, forcing the Speedster to reel from the attack. 

A short swipe across his throat sent Barry tumbling backwards, gasping for air as he skidded to a halt on the rough, and course rocks of the rooftop. Both Speedster slowly pulled themselves to their feet, and charged once more. Both colliding in a good old fashioned fist fight, only at super humans speeds. Thawne caught Barry's wrist to deflect an attack, and glared at him in true Eobard Thawne arrogance, but Barry used his arrogance to deliver multiple jabs to his stomach, breaking his hand free and allowing himself to deliver nearly twenty well placed strikes unopposed. Thawne brought his leg up, and sweeped it, but Barry dodged it and grabbed his leg, spinning him around a cricket bat and letting him go. Thawne landed against the doorway of the roof top with a thud, and collapsed to the ground. 

But it was a feign, and Thawne dashed forward, grabbing Barry by the throat, slamming him into the same doorway, holding him there by the throat with a deadly grip, and squeezing to cut off air circulation. Barry tried to claw at Thawne's wrist but it was a futile attempt, and Barry saw Thawne's hand, phasing through matter, slowly approaching chest. This was it, this was the moment Barry Allen finally met his maker. 

"I told you before," Eobard growled, grinning underneath his cowl. "I always win, Flash!" He thrusted his arm forward, and it pierced Barry's chest. But instead of a cry of agony as his heart was crushed, Barry smiled. Thawne realised in that moment that Barry was phasing at the same frequency, meaning Thawne's hand was nothing more than two amounts of excited particles floating around each other. Before he could make another move, Barry stuck Thawne in a few serious nerve points, causing his body to seize with electrical signals misfiring, and collapse in front of Barry, unable to regain composure.

"No. No, you don't always win, Thawne! I beat you, do you understand? All those times you've tried, all those times you've failed. This time, I win. No one else is going to die tonight." Barry looked down at Thawne, hatred behind his eyes. He wanted to strike down the man who'd murdered his mother, and caused the death of both Eddie, and Ronnie. But he couldn't, Barry Allen was above killing. There was always another way, and mercy was the mark of a great man. Barry kicked him in the stomach, and peered down upon him.  
"Get out of here. Before I change my mind," Barry demanded, and Thawne slowly pulled himself to his feet. "And if I ever see you again, I will make you regret ever learning my name." He whispered, and Thawne took a few steps away, grinning at his rival with a mere hint of respect.

"I wonder what face I'll be wearing next time we meet, Flash."

"Can't wait."

Without another word, Thawne ran off. Leaving Barry alone on the rooftop to catch his breath. He only prayed to the Speed Force that Kara was managing against Reign. He tried to run, but felt a sharp pain in his side. Maybe Thawne did more damage than he'd originally thought. He tried to shrug off the pain by running, but it wasn't easy. His progress was hampered, and his speed was hindered. He stood there, wheezing heavily. He couldn't make it to Kara — not without a few minutes of rest at least — and could only pray she was holding her own against Reign. Last time didn't end so well, but Kara knew not to underestimate Reign this time around. He had faith in Kara that she'd keep her promise, and slumped against the door that'd been previously used as a weapon in that fight.

"Hey! Keep it down up there, some of us are trying to sleep!" Barry heard a disgruntled citizen yell from their window what he assumed to be only one floor beneath him. Obviously his fight with Thawne had been rather loud, and obviously disturbed a few citizens. It wasn't unheard of by any means. He laughed and coughed into his arm. One fact was that Central City never changed, and Barry loved that.

"Sorry!"

~~~

Back at Dayton Opticals, Supergirl and Reign were going full throttle on each other. Much of the highly valuable, and potentially classified equipment was shattered into tiny pieces, having been used as makeshifts weapons, but all were obliterated on impact with each Kryptonian's impenetrable, armor like skin.

Both were getting tired of trading blows with one another, but Kara more so. She staggered as she took a blow to the jaw, and countered with a kicking at Reign's ankle, causing the Tyrant of Terror to crumble in a heap, using her Freeze Breath to knock her opponent back a short distance, just far enough away so that she could recover from the admittedly well placed kick.

"This only ends one way, *Supergirl*," Reign spat her name, as if it left a bad taste in her mouth, wiping a drop of sweat from her forehead with a devilish grin. "Keel over and die already!" She yelled, and ran straight at Kara, but the Girl of Steel leapt into the air, delivering a sharp kick right in the middle of Reign's face. She reeled only momentarily, and grabbed Kara's ankle, sending her crashing into the ground with a thud, and proceeding to straddle her waist, delivering blow after blow to Kara's face, to which the Girl of Steel could only try and deflect with her forearms.

"You'll..." Kara felt Reign's fist bust her lip. "Never..." Another punch, and Kara felt a black eye coming on. "Win!" She finished enunciating and fired her heat vision, roaring as the deadly beam of pure energy erupted from her eyes, forcing Reign to shield her own, and stumble backwards to avoid the blast. She pulled herself to her feet, and advanced on Reign, all of her anger, and pain, only fueling its power.

"Last chance, Reign! Stay down!" Kara roared, her intensity only growing. But Reign fired back, and felt the raw, unbridled power behind it. She gasped and tried to continue the fight, but it was an uphill battle. Reign closed the distance, and Kara knew the had to abort mission. She turned her head away, narrowly avoiding Reign's heat vision as it whizzed past her. She turned back to her opponent, and the Tyrant of Terror was so close their noses were almost touching, and Reign grabbed Kara by the throat, throwing the Girl of Steel over her shoulder, sending her crashing into a stack of metal crates, and knocking over a massive steel shelf, its contents scattering across the concrete floor like confetti.  

"Stay down." Reign ordered, echoing Kara's words from only moments ago. Kara groaned, trying desperately to rise to her feet. But she had one last trick up her sleeve. She spread her arms wide, and brought them together in a devastating thunder clap. All the windows of the trashed warehouse shattered, and it's contents were blow all over the place. But much to Kara's horror, Reign didn't even flinch.

"No... I-" Kara tried to get out, and Reign slapped her harshly, curling her fingers to draw blood, and it worked. Kara had solar flared, and was completely vulnerable. She felt utterly helpless, but refused to cry, or beg for mercy. If she was going to die, she was going to die like a woman, strong and unwavering in her convictions.  
"Go ahead, Reign... kill me, I won't beg, or cry. Just... get it over with, you monster!" She growled, and Reign raised her fist to happily accept the invitation.

But that was when she was struck by an arrow, and snarled in pain as somehow, the weak material pierced her flesh, and injected something straight into her blood stream. She screamed as she clawed at the arrow, feeling like all the flesh on her body was melting away, and razor sharp nails were coursing through her veins. She ripped the arrow from her shoulder and turned to spot a man clad in green, a hood over his head, a bow n' arrow, and a chip on his shoulder.

"No more advantages," Oliver flexed his muscles. "Let's see what you're made of, Worldkiller!"

"You... dare threaten me?" Reign was astounding to witness such bravery, and stupidity all in one moment. She may not have her powers, but Reign was naturally strong, and rolled her head to the side, cracking her neck. She raised her arm, and went to throw the arrow, its tip still coated in her blood. But Oliver was quick on the draw, and fired another arrow.

It exploded in Reign's face, and the Worldkiller reeled from the sudden flash of light, shielding her eyes from the blast, curling up into herself. As did Kara, only to a lesser degree. Reign stood back up, and looked up onto the ledge, only to find Green Arrow no longer perched atop, looking down upon her.

Her eyes scanned left to right, and revealed nothing she hadn't already seen. But footsteps were fast approaching, and Reign looked down from the ledge she was standing on, only to see Oliver running full speed ahead, his face contorted in rage, and his teeth bared. She didn't have time to react, and suddenly found herself sailing through the air, with the force of the Emerald Archer -- arms currently wrapped around her waist -- driving them. 

They both crashed into the concrete floor, but Oliver recovered first and pulled himself to his feet, and swung his bow towards her. He struck her across the face, and she rolled to the side, launching herself to her feet, and raising her arms, ready for a fight. 

Reign threw multiple punches forward, but Oliver smashed his bow into her wrist on every one, diverting the direction of her punches elsewhere, leaving all of her strikes to miss their mark. It was frustrating, but Reign had been patient thus far. She was going to give into rash decision making quite yet. And this 'Green Arrow' was a formidable foe, and felling him would leave the Girl of Steel all alone, with no one to save her. Judging by the lack of the Flash, and Reverse Flash, Reign assumed that the Scarlet Speedster had fallen, and Thawne had crawled back into his hole, only to return when opportunity knocked. He was a coward that way, and Reign was glad to be rid of him. He was a useful ally, but an insufferable pest.

Reign managed to sneak in an uppercut, his body tilting backwards, and his arms flying outwards in response, and it left Oliver wide open. She threw a punch at his lower chest, and sent him reeling forwards, hunching over as he gasped for air. She threw another punch, but Oliver grabbed her by the forearm, and launched himself into the air, twirling gracefully in the air, bringing himself lower to the ground, and using the momentum to pull Reign down, and send the Kryptonian rolling backwards on the cold, hard concrete floor. But she recovered, perching herself in a crouch, as did Oliver, and trying a different strategy. She titled to the side, and lifted her leg, sweeping it at level with Oliver's skull, but the Emerald Archer ducked, narrowly avoiding the strike. They both stood up at roughly the same time, and thrusted forward in a kick. Their boots met mid air, and deflected off one another. 

Oliver threw a right hook, but Reign caught up with her left arm, and head butted Oliver, sending him stumbling backwards, shaking off the confusion. She kicked him square in the chest, and he collapsed, tumbling underneath a shelve, and Reign followed. She slid underneath it seamlessly, recovering at roughly the same as Oliver. He tried to use her own tactics against her, but Reign missed the sweep of his leg by ducking underneath at the perfect time, and throwing herself at him. He was caught off guard, and ill-prepared. He flew backwards, and rolled a few metres away from her. Pulling himself to his feet, Oliver looked up just in time to see Reign jumping with her knee in the air, slamming it right into the centre of his chest. It met its mark with a heavy thud, and Oliver was flung back into the concrete wall, curled up into himself.

Reign took the opportunity to get the upper hand, and rushed forward to grab him by the scruff of his collar. She pulled him upwards, and pressed him harder against the wall, her fingers with a vice like grip around the green kevlar weaved leather, holding him firmly in place. He growled, multiple bruises and cuts were visible on his face, and his eyebrow was bleeding. He closed his eyes, and opened them again with a new found ferocity. 

"Enough!" Oliver snarled, and threw his fists forward. One, two, three, all colliding with Reigns nose. She reeled from each one, and let go of his collar, hunching forward in an attempt to hide from the pain. But Oliver grabbed her by the bicep, and forearm, swinging her around, and sending her crashing into the floor with a thud. She stayed there for a few seconds, pulling herself back into reality as she looked up at Oliver, slowly walking to the side of her, breathing heavily with his shoulders pulled back. He turned his arm over his shoulder, drew an arrow from his quiver, and thrusted it down.

Clank.

The shock on Oliver's face was visible as the arrow head shattered, and the shaft was flung from his grasp. Reign felt a surge of power, and smiled. She kicked his ankle, and their positions changed. The tables had been turned, with Reign in control. She looked down at Oliver, groaning in pain as he lay there, slowly reaching for his bow which was far from his reach, and Reign smiled. She stepped on his wrist, causing the Emerald Archer to groan in pain as his eyes narrowed at her. Her own filled with red, and her smile turned grotesque. 

"You like to think you're a hero," Reign narrowed her eyes. "But you're the biggest monster of-" Just as she was about to extinguish the spark that was his life, Reign heard something fast approaching. She turned her head, and it was already too late. She saw Barry, his body fully in the air, his fist poised, and then it struck her in the face. She was expecting all the bones in his body to shatter at once, but instead it hurt like hell, and then everything went white with an incredibly loud bang. 

Everything went quiet for a few moments, and Reign slowly pulled herself to her knees. She felt something trickling down her forehead, and realised — to her horror — it was her one blood. She looked up to see Oliver, and Kara slowly rising to their feet, but no sign of Barry. She knew she was beat, one of them could pierce her flesh, one could make her bleed, and the other was more powerful than them both combined. She reached into her pocket, and retrieved the device from it. A small disk she'd stolen from Thawne, and pressed the blue button in the centre. Behind her appeared a breach, and Reign grinned to herself. There was no shame in living to fight another day, and Reign leapt into the portal, disappearing without a trace. There'd be time later for vengeance, right now, Reign had to lick her wounds, and come up with a different strategy. She had underestimated Earths Mightiest Heroes, and that was a mistake she wouldn't allow to happen again. 

"Damn it!" Oliver threw his bow to the floor, and Kara rushed to his front, putting both her hands on his chest, tapping her fingers against it to garner his attention. He looked down at her, anger billowing underneath the surface. Oliver wasn't used to losing, and hated it with every fibre of his being.  
"I had her!" He snapped, and Kara wrapped her arms around him, Oliver was surprised, and in a very Queen like fashion, only put one arm around her in return. She felt it a small personal victory, and smiled.

"No, no, Ollie, you saved me, okay? Without you and Barry I'd be- Oh, Rao, Barry!" Kara looked around, and found Barry crumbled in a heap, amongst a pile of boxes, and equipment. They both broke away from the hug, and rushed over to him. His pulse was there, but it was weak. His wrist was broken, and his face was riddled with cuts and bruises. His suit was torn at the shoulder, and part of his mask was ripped. Blood tricked from his lip, and eyebrow, with his lip busted in the corner. He looked so much worse for wear, and Kara felt her heart sink.

"Cisco, we need extraction, now!" Oliver commanded into the comms, and Kara cradled Barry's body against her own.

"S-Stay with me, Barry... don't go, please." Kara begged, weeping into his chest. She couldn't lose him, not after everything else.

~~~

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin and Alex had both managed to stabilise Barry's condition, and keep his heart from giving out. He'd risked everything by using his super-sonic-punch on Reign, and it was showing. Nothing his advanced cellular regeneration couldn't handle with some rest, but Kara was still worried. She refused to leave his side, and continued to trace her thumb over his knuckle constantly. She'd wait there for days if she had too, because Kara wanted to be there for him when he woke up, and express her gratitude, and anger for saving her. It was a reckless decision, and it nearly cost Barry his life. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him, and it brought her to tears.

"Kara," Kara turned to see Oliver standing in the Cortex, his arms behind his back, firmly locked around the frame of his bow. He stood very formally, and kept his chin up. "I'm heading back to Star City, I just wanted to say goodbye, and check up on Barry. Any improvement?" He walked up, placing his bow down on a table, and looking down at Barry with sad eyes. Although he'd never admit it, for fear of never living it down, Barry was Oliver's best friend.

"Alex says he'll be in and out for a while, I'm afraid. His body needs time to heal from that... stupid play he made." Kara spoke almost bitterly, turning her head away. If she'd lost him because he tried to save her, Kara would never forgive herself. She'd already lost so much, and Barry was a casualty she couldn't afford. It might have finally been enough to bring the Girl of Steel to her knees.

"Don't fancy sticking around?" She quipped, wiggling her eyebrows. Oliver let out a chuckle, and put his hands on his hips, smiling softly at her.

"William's gonna be wondering where I've gotten off too. And I've got a great story to tell him now." Oliver smiled, walking back into the Cortex and retrieving his bow. He turned to look at the two of them once again with a loving smile, and bowed his head slightly. 

"Give him my best, Kara. I'll see you 'round." He went to walk out of the Cortex, but Kara rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him. He wasn't leaving without a hug, whether he liked it or not. He placed both arms around her, and Kara smiled happily. Although his stubble was scratching her a little.

"Can I ask you something, Oliver?" Kara looked up, and Oliver nodded. "Back in the warehouse, why did you save me? I mean, Reign could have killed you. She nearly killed me, I just don't understand why you'd put yourself in danger for me? Especially when you have a son to take care off." Kara wasn't mad, just curious. She awkwardly shuffled her foot against the floor nervously, hoping that Oliver would take it the right way.

"Because without you," Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder. "I wouldn't have a son to come home too. I will never forget what you did, Kara. Ever." He smiled, and removed his hand, turning to walk out of the Cortex, leaving Kara alone with a dopey grin on her face, and tears in her eyes. She heard Barry murmuring, and rushed back to his side, taking his hand in hers as he slowly awoke from his slumber, blinking heavily to adjust to the light with a soft groan. Whatever painkillers he was on were working, and Barry was somewhat out of it.

"Morning, hotshot," Kara smiled softly, kissing his forehead. "How're you feeling?"

"Kara? I uh... woah my... where's... Kara, where's Reign?" Barry tried to sit up, but Kara gently pushed him back down, fearing further injury if he started thrashing about in confusion. He looked up at her, and didn't fight. That was probably because of the drugs, but Kara was relieved she didn't have to force him. She'd had enough fighting for one day.

"Escaped," Kara whispered, shaking her head. "After you nearly killed yourself... she opened a breach and jumped through before Oliver or I could stop her. I dunno where she is, but for now, Reign's gone. And that's all that matters, Barry, okay? You're okay, I'm okay. That's all I care about, baby." Kara leaned down to kiss him on the lips with a smile.  
"Although I am still furious you risked your life to save me." Her voice was stern, but playful. She didn't want to make him feel bad about his decision, only understand she was annoyed at it.  
"But I still love you, idiot." Kara tapped his nose, and Barry squirmed, drawing a giggle from the Girl of Steel.

"I love you, too." Barry whispered, his eyes fluttering softly. He yawned, and Kara rolled her eyes fondly, still caressing his knuckles gently. He was clearly exhausted, and Kara full well knew it. She combed her fingers through his hair, pulling him back to sleep. She began to sing her rendition of Moon River to him, coaxing him back to sleep with a smile on her face. She'd missed singing to him, more than a lot of things, as well as listening to the rhythm of his breathing.

"Sweet dreams, Barry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	19. Love Bonds Us All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's everyone doing? I can't think of anything clever, or witty to say this time. Yes, yes, I know you're all terribly disappointed right now. But I'll let you guys get on with it, and enjoy Love Bonds Us All!

In the early hours of the morning, Barry finally started to stir, and felt a firm grip on his consciousness. He peeled his eyes open with a groan, and turned his head to see Kara walking back into the room with a cup of coffee in her hand, and a smile on her face. She flicked her hair back happily and gingerly sipped from her cup, the fingers of both hands wrapped firmly around the ceramic. She placed it down by his bedside table, and leaned down to kiss him on the lips, staring into his eyes as she pulled away.

"Morning, hotshot, how're you feeling?" Kara quirked, and Barry groaned, trying to adjust himself. His entire body ached, and he could barely move from his position. Nearly shattering every bone in your body tended to take a little out of you, even with his enhanced cellular regeneration.  
"Like you got punched by Superman? Yeah, I know how that feels." Kara chuckled and took his hand in hers, running her fingers over his knuckles soothingly as he groaned.

"Yeah... like I got punched by Superman... Won't be doing that again any-"

"Ever." Kara bit out. "Never again, okay? Barry... I thought you were dead. I saw Alex and Caitlin work to try and save you, and they barely succeeded. I can't- Barry I can't go through that. Please just... Barry, please be careful, okay?" Kara tried to hold back the tears in her eyes. She'd nearly lost him once to Lilian. She'd nearly lost him to Reign. She wasn't about to lose him to anyone. She hated how angry she sounded, because deep down Kara was merely grateful, if not terrified.

"Okay... I won't risk my life like that again, I promise. I will come running home to you, Kara," Barry squeezed her hand. "Always." He smiled, and Kara sniffled, burying her head in the crook of his neck as she cried. It'd been a long few days, and her journey was far from over. Just a few more things to get sorted, and then Barry and Kara could finally get their happy ending.

"So... we uh... still on for the whole, you know, marriage thing?" Barry asked, and Kara looked up sadly, eyes diverting from his gaze in fear.

"Barry um... I've been thinking and I've come to the conclusion that..." Kara trailed off, and Barry's heart pounded heavily in his chest. "It's just that... Rao," A smirk started to tug at her lips. "Yes, we're still on for the 'marriage thing'." She used airquotes and chuckled as Barry seemingly let out a breath he didn't realise that he'd been holding. They both laughed, and Kara leaned down to kiss his forehead.  
"But there is something I have to do first, and it's important. Everyone on my Earth, barring Lena still thinks I'm dead. I have to remedy that, and I cannot be responsible for another second of their suffering. So I was-"

"Go, Kara. Go be with your family, okay? I'll be here when you get back, Caitlin and Cisco will take good care of me, I'm sure." Jut as Barry said that, Cisco and Caitlin walked into the Cortex with a huge grin on their faces. They both rushed forward and Cisco immediately hugged Barry, while Caitlin stood beside Kara and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You scared us half to death, Flash. Ain't cool, man, ain't cool. But," Cisco slapped his shoulder, and Barry groaned. "Glad you're okay. We both are," Cisco turned to look at Caitlin who nodded happily, and Barry smiled in return. There was a calm aura in the air, and they all felt truly comfortable. Because despite all their troubles, they won.  
"We're gonna let you get some rest. I'll bring you some Big Belly Burger at lunch and we can watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine together." He smiled eagerly, and Barry nodded.

"Nine-Nine!" Barry chanted,

"Nine-Nine!" Cisco chanted back, and left the Cortex with a skip in his step. Caitlin brushed her hand through Barry's hair and smiled down at him.

"Nine-Nine." Caitlin whispered, and winked, following Cisco out of the Cortex, leaving Barry somewhat dumbfounded. How could Caitlin keep her love of Brooklyn Nine-Nine a secret? For a C.S.I., Barry was a little slow at times. He looked up at Kara who seemed a little hesitant to leave her seat, and his side.

"Go, go, Kara, go, I'll be fine, okay? Go, be with your family!" Barry ushered her, and Kara stood up, gently pushing the seat back underneath the table. She grabbed the scruff of Barry's sheets and pulled them up over him, tucking him firmly into bed as she leaned down to kiss his forehead softly, but lovingly. She stood back up, and walked out of the Cortex, passing a glance over her shoulder at Barry who seemed to be snuggling back into his blankets, hopefully to go back to sleep and get the rest his body so desperately needed. Otherwise he'd get a very stern talking too from Doctor Caitlin Snow.

"Love you, Kara." Barry whispered, but Kara's super-hearing picked it up from all the way down the corridor, towards the elevators. She chuckled to herself, and put a hand on her chin, giggling to herself quietly so no one else could hear her. Otherwise that would have been a little awkward.

"Yeah, I love you too, Barry."

~~~

To say being back in National City was reliving would be an understatement, Kara had been feeling homesick even before her battle was Reign, and embracing the sleep of death only made her miss her friends and family more than before. As she burst through the breach, and into the warm air of National City, Kara felt immediately at home. She'd missed this city so much, and couldn't wait to get back into her routine. Even if marrying Barry meant she had to spend time on Earth-1, and Barry had to spend time on Earth-38, Kara knew National City was hers, and she had a duty to protect its people.

She'd made a promise to return to National City as soon as Reign had been dealt with, and Kara wasn't about to break that promise. Of course, Barry was completely understanding. He'd ushered her out the door immediately, eager for her to make peace with her friends and family who were unfortunately mourning her death. And Lena who was probably panicking twenty-four-seven, unable to focus on a single task in front of her. She had a lot to make up for, and Kara was eager to get started, and reveal the exciting news to everyone, and see how they'd react.

Just as soon as she was back, Kara immediately realised Supergirl was needed. A loud gunshot rang out, and multiple screams were caught by her hearing. She cracked her neck, and flew towards the source of the disturbance. She was both glad to be needed, but disappointed at the same time. In a perfect world, heroes like the Flash, Green Arrow, and Supergirl wouldn't be needed any longer. But for today, and as many days as it took until she could hang up the skirt in good conscience, Kara would proudly wear her red and blue attire, and help those in need from all walks of life.

Arriving at the source, Kara noticed it was a small café, no larger than CC Jitters back in Central City. She floated somewhat high above the concrete road, and scanned the building with her x-ray vision. She noticed one man with a gun, swinging it around like a toy, and one person cowering in fear a few metres away. One person behind the counter with their hands up, and their heart racing a mile a minute. Kara couldn't blame her, at all, and decided it was now or never to intervene. She burst through the door way, and skidded to a halt a few feet away from the man with a gun, extending her hand as a symbol of peace.

"Hey, hey, hey, sir, I just want to talk, okay? Can we do that, please?" Kara spoke calmly, noticing the person cowering in fear was a young woman, chestnut brown hair, parted in the middle with thick black glasses on her face, with a notebook clutched to her chest. It looked precious, and Kara would have smiled if not for the severity of the situation.

"This doesn't involve you, Supergirl! I just want the money, I don't want to hurt anyone!" He cried, and fired once more into the ceiling. Kara did a quick scan to make sure the bullet didn't hit anyone on the floor above. Luckily whatever room was above was abandoned, as was the rest of the building.

"Just... give me the money!" He swivelled to face the woman clutching the note book, and aimed the gun right between her eyes. "Or she dies! You hear me?!" He yelled, and Kara reacted immediately. She fired her heat vision at the mans weapon, knocking it from his hands. He was confused, and immediately met with an admittedly pulled punch from Supergirl on the top of his head. He fell to the floor, unconscious, and Kara rushed the young woman who was shivering in fear, a few tears falling. She was trying to be brave, but was understandably terrified.

"Hey, hey, I've got you. You're okay..." Kara looked at the book, and noticed the name tag on the front. "Mikayla, I've got you. You're okay, I promise." She wrapped her arms around the woman and held her close, letting both their adrenaline levels subside. She could hear the police arriving at the scene, and sighed in relief. Two officers rushed in, and Kara pointed to the culprit. They dragged him up, and cuffed him swiftly before putting him on a gurney and wheeling him outside. He'd be fine, but would wake up with a headache.

~~~

Outside, Kara was still sitting with Mikayla while she waited for the young woman's parents to arrive. She had an arm around the young woman's shoulder, and kept stroking her arm softly. She knew how being vulnerable felt, and knew that being alone only made it worse.

"What's that book you're carrying? It looks precious to you." Kara smiled softly, trying to make small talk. Mikayla looked up and opened it to a random page, and Kara quickly read. Names she didn't recognise, fictional places, random events, dialogue.  
"It's a note book! You're a writer?" She chirped up, and Mikayla nodded quickly, falling into a sense of comfortableness with her hero.

"You know, back on Krypton, I was always fascinated with fictional stories. My Mum used to read me stories every night before bed, and I loved them all. When I came to Earth, I fell in love with reading. And I was a massive fan of Harry Potter." She winked playfully with a smile.

"Well, I'm trying to be. I just... don't have a lot of time, you know? Life's been really busy. University, work, life, I'm just really busy. You must understand, I mean, heck, you're Supergirl!" Mikayla replied, and Kara laughed softly.

"I am quite busy, actually. But I always find some time to enjoy the things I love. Like eating, or rom-coms on Netflix. Don't tell anyone that last one though." Kara playfully whispered, and Mikayla laughed in return. She was startled out of her laughter by the sound of a car horn, and looked up to see a large vehicle nearby. Inside was her mother, father, and two younger sisters.  
"I uh... I've got to go. Thank you, Supergirl! For everything!" She stood up, and smiled back at Kara.

"I'll keep an eye out for your name on the front cover of a book, Mikayla. See ya!" Kara chirped, and Mikayla skipped happily to the car, swiftly getting in and immediately telling her whole story. As the car drove past, Kara waved at the family happily and looked around briefly. No one else around seemed to need her, and Kara had to meet up with her friends, and explain to them the truth. She took off into flight, towards the D.E.O. and steeled herself. This was going to be one long and awkward conversation, but Kara owed it to them.

~~~

Setting foot in the D.E.O., Kara could feel something in the air. It was thick, and made it hard to breath. The main area was rather empty, only a few agents at their desks in the central control room. She took a step forward, and another, and another. But no one seemed to look up, the aura in the room was heavy, and full of sadness. Perhaps only the D.E.O. knew the true fate of Supergirl, while National City was blissfully unaware of how close they'd come to losing their beloved hero. She noticed there was something in a checkered shirt and tight jeans at the computer, and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She was worried Winn would be out, and would have to wait for the good news.

"Hey, buddy." Kara called out, and Winn spun around on his heels. He was holding a mouse in his hand, and as his eyes processed the sight in front of him, the mouse fell from his grip, being saved from slamming into the floor beneath their feet by the wire attaching it to the back of the computer, being fed through a hole in the desk. She could see there were tears in his eyes and he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

"Yeah, Winn. It's... it's me." Kara struggled to get out, and Winn sprinted forward faster than the speed of light, wrapping his arms around her, and sobbing into her chest. She chuckled with tears in her own eyes, and wrapped her arms around him, kissing the top of his head.  
"Shh, shh, hey, I'm okay, okay? I'm here, I promise. This is really me. It's okay." Kara soothed, and rested her cheek against the top of his head. His body was trembling, and she was struggling to stand upright. All her emotions felt like they were kicking her knees out, but she held her ground, for Winn.

Multiple agents turned around and saw the sight, all silently watching as Supergirl proudly looked amongst them, and held Winn as he cried. They all began to clap, and Kara chuckled quietly to herself. She heard a door open to her left, and looked to see both J'onn, and James walk in through the main door. They were both stunned, and she opened her arms. They both walked up and enveloped the Girl of Steel in a group hug. Kara noticed one of J'onn arms were behind his back, and his fingers were moving in a motion similar to typing. She didn't much care what for, she was just happy to be held by her friends and family again. Something she'd never even considered she'd be able to do ever since Reign beat her an inch away from death. In her time in the Forest of Juru, Kara had been entirely alone. This was a feeling she'd yearned for for weeks, and finally gotten to experience.

"I missed you," Kara took a step back from the group. She put her hands on her hips in a typical Supergirl pose as she spoke, lifting her chin. "I missed all of you, so much. I know you guys have a lot of questions, and some of them I can't explain. But right here, right now, that's all that matters. I came back, and it was the thought of seeing your faces again that made all that... suffering and loneliness worth it." She started to cry a little, and wiped a few tears from her cheeks.

"It's good to have you back, Kara. Welcome home." J'onn began to clap, and Kara tipped her head back in laughter, and a sliver of embarrassment. In all their round of applause, Kara didn't hear the loud thud behind her. But everyone's eyes trailed away from her, and to behind her. She slowly turned around to see none other than Kal-El standing there, quivering in his boots. She rushed forward in a moment of pure instinct and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank, Rao! Kara... oh, Rao, it's so good to see you! I missed you so much!" Kal whimpered as he fell to his knees, holding Kara as he did so. She sunk down with him, and clung to his cape for dear life. She was overwhelmed by her emotions, and could barely form a coherent sentence.

"You never left me, Kal, I knew you were right there with me." Kara tapped her chest, directly overtop of her head with a dopey smile. He scoffed with a smirk and rolled his eyes, pressing their foreheads together. They both smiled deeply as the Last Son and Daughter of Krypton were finally reunited. They were at total piece with each other, but Winn cleared his throat 

"Um... Kara?" Winn chirped, and Kara turned around to look at him. "Is that a... wedding ring?" He pointed, and Kara's eyes went wide. She looked down and wiggled her ring finger, the ring sparkling the fluorescent lights on the ceiling. She blushed, and turned her head to the side with a soft, and sheepish chuckle.

"Oh... um..." Kara stammered for her words, and looked around awkwardly. "Surprise!"

~~~

Ever since Kara had passed away, Eliza wasn't herself. Her house was an absolute mess, and Eliza didn't have the heart to change it. She just sat in her arm chair, and stared off at the TV, unable to process any channel currently playing. She didn't much care for daytime television, and even less so since Kara had fallen at the hands of the Tyrant of Terror. She gingerly sipped her tea and rolled her eyes upon hearing a knock at the door. 

It was probably J'onn coming by to offer his services and clean the house. She'd appreciated his visits, but turned them down. The Martian Manhunter had more important things to worry about than cleaning Eliza's house. He had to carry on in Kara's name, and protect National City. Kal could only do so much, but he'd happily swung by from time to time. People were happy to see Superman, but things weren't going to be that way for much longer. They were going to start asking questions eventually.

Eliza slowly shuffled to the door, and sat her tea down carefully, the ceramic making a quiet clattering noise as the base of the cup met the inner ring of the plate. She pulled her dressing gown tighter around herself, and reached for the door handle. But her arms were tired, and she almost considered turning away and leaving whoever it was hanging. But she gripped the door handle with a ferocity new to her, something was switched on in her brain and she felt like she could hope again all of a sudden. She swung the door open, and the sight in front of her made her freeze.

"You... I... what is... I- I don't understand?"

"It's me, Mom," She sniffled softly, a smile tugging at her cheeks. "It's Kara."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	20. Rehersal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Nearing the end of Crisis now, only two chapters after this one. It's weird to think about that this whole fic started as a silly idea in my head during a walk down to the shops. So I just wanted to say to anyone who wants to write a fic, or a story, do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! And if you feel like it, send it to me and I'll have a read of it! Anywho, enough sentimentality from me (just kidding, you'll never escape that) enjoy Rehersal!

It was the night of their rehearsal dinner, and Barry couldn't quite believe it. For months, Barry and Kara's relationship had been pelted with stones; yet almost nothing came as close a wedge between them, driving them apart, as Kara's death at the hands of Reign. And even that had concluded with a rather happy fairytale ending.   
Barry brushed his firm hands down his suit, smoothing out the odd wrinkle, and expressing the tremendous amount of energy he had buzzing through him. He was a cocktail of emotions, and maybe a drink or two would be exactly what the Scarlet Speedster needed the night before his wedding. 

He pulled the door open, feeling a rush of warm air consume him. He smiled and stepped into CC Jitters, taking in the aroma of coffee that lingered long after the machines were shut down. David Singh had pulled a few favours in order to rent out Jitters for the evening. Barry was rather grateful to have his rehearsal dinner held at such a pleasant venue. Wasn't prestigious by any means, but it felt like home, and a piece of normalcy. And this was exactly what Barry needed, a sense of normalcy.   
That didn't much happen when you were the fastest man alive, and were merely fourteen hours away from marrying the Last Daughter of Krypton.

"Woah, woah, hold the door, please!" Someone spoke up behind Barry, and he politely obliged. The man rushed to the door, and ducked inside, smoothing down his suit with one hand as he adjusted his rather large glasses with the other. He looked down at himself, and once content with his outward appearance, smiled politely at Barry.

"Clark Kent, Daily Planet. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Allen." Clark extended his hand, and Barry smiled, shaking his hand. The grip was rather firm, and Barry almost winced.   
"I know we don't know each other, but please," Clark's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Call me Kal-El." Upon speaking that name, Barry slapped himself. How could he not recognise the Superman? Kal and Kara looked a little alike, must be from the El in their name. 

"Oh, Kal, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Barry said eagerly with a light chuckle, his words were purely genuine. He'd seen Kal at Kara's funeral but couldn't bare look him in the eyes out of guilt. But all that was behind him, and Barry was rather happy to have an excuse to get to know Kara's only blood relative.  
"Sorry, I almost didn't recognise you. Just had a lot on my mind, is all. You know, I'm getting married tomorrow! It's exciting, I just hope nothing goes wrong, you know?" He smiled, and Kal happily clapped his shoulder, albeit a bit too hard for his liking, but he'd heal within a minute or two.

"Of course, no matter how much I spend time with Lois, I imagine our wedding day would be the day I finally find a grey hair. Oh, I'll have to introduce you. I reckon she'd like you. She's a reporter, and a really good one at that. She's a little nosy, but I reckon you'd like her too." Kal put his hand on Barry's back and guided him towards the bar, which was open. Of course, Mick had already started taking advantage of the free alcohol, and free buffet. No one expected anything less from the resident ex-con and arsonist of the Waverider.

Everyone at the party seemed to be having a lovely time. People were mingling who Barry would have never thought would meet in his lifetime. Oliver had stricken up a conversation with Caitlin and she seemed enthralled. She thought he was hot, but that was beside the point. Constantine was impressing Winn and James with simple magic tricks. Actually pulling rabbits out of thin air, and sending them away as easily. Alex and Sara were in the upstairs area, but Barry had no idea what was going on with those two. And getting into Sara's business was a rather fast way to get a throwing star in your back quicker than you could say "rookie mistake".

Barry still hadn't seen Kara, but was sure she was with Alex or Eliza elsewhere enjoying herself. She'd just come back from the dead, and Barry knew that gave her a little bit of wiggle room. Of course he'd rather be dancing with her right now, but Barry knew there'd be plenty of time for that later, after the wedding. For now, Barry was content to just mingle amongst his friends, and family. He could hear Cisco and Harry arguing in the corner about something, probably a petty squabble. He chuckled at the thought of what those two geniuses could be bickering about. He waved down the bartender and ordered a bourbon and coke on the rocks, and Clark ordered a coke.

Upon receiving his drink, Barry poured a drop of his vial into the drink. Clark was surprised, and quirked a brow. Barry took a swig of his drink, and turned to face Clark, almost snorting his drink at the sight of Clark's absolutely befuddled face. He quickly shook his head, and put his drink back down on the counter, a small ring of liquid left forming at the bottom of the glass.

"It's something Cisco made for me. My metabolism means I can't get drunk normally, but this is how I can actually feel the buzz. Don't worry, it's safe, and I know my limits." Barry put the vial back in his pocket, and Clark seemed content with the answer. He took a sip of his coke, and put it down as well. He looked down at his drink, and then up at Barry. He looked as if he wanted to say something, and Barry nodded, offering Clark the permission to speak his mind in a safe and friendly environment.

"You know, I've always been worried that Kara would never feel truly at home on this planet like I do. But seeing her with you, and knowing how much you love, and adore her just makes me feel content, you know?" Clark smiled lightly and chuckled. "I couldn't think a better man in this room, nor in an entire multiverse for my cousin to spend the rest of her life with." He offered his hand to Barry and he shook it once more, but this time it was like a death grip, and Barry winced.

"If you hurt Kara, I don't care how fast you run, I'll find you." About to say something in response, Barry found a sense of relief when Clark let go of his hand and laughed loudly. "I'm just kidding, I'm happy for the both of you, Bar. Kara's very lucky to have you," He opened his arms and hugged Barry swiftly. "Have a good night, Barry, I'll see you later." He said politely and adjusted his glasses, sitting up from the bar stool and wandering off into the sea of people. Barry rolled his eyes fondly and finished his drink, politely waving at the bartender and standing up himself, looking amongst the crowd until his eyes finally found her.

Kara.

~~~

Above Barry and Kara, Sara and Alex sat next to each other, drinking away happily as the night went on. Both content with each other's company. However neither of them could quite slap a label on whatever it is they were. They were more than friends, but less than girlfriends. But both were instilled with a sense of hope, and longing to be more for each other. Hence laughing at the others rather awful jokes, and listening attentively to their stories as a superhero.

"Wait, wait, you... jumped off a skyscraper, and just hoped your sister would catch you? Alex, that's insane! And a little bit sexy, if I do say so myself." Sara purred into her drink and downed the rest, reaching for the open bottle of scotch on the table and pouring herself another glass. They were both well past tipsy, but they were enjoying themselves. And it wasn't like either woman hadn't shown up for an important life event hammered before.  
"You win! I can't top that, at all," Sara grabbed her drink and raised the glass. "To Agent Danvers. Resident badass of the D.E.O." She chuckled, and the two women put their glasses together with a soft but meaningful clink. They both chuckled and downed their drinks, hissing as the liquid scorched their throats on the way down, feeling as if it peeled the skin off on the way down.

Alex leaned back in her chair with a groan, and stretched her legs underneath the table. She could feel the regret her future self would wear like a badge tomorrow for drinking so much but there were so many reasons to celebrate. Kara coming back from the dead, Barry and Kara's wedding, Alex finally being able to move on with another woman. Plenty of reasons to celebrate, and plenty of reasons to drink. But their bottle of scotch was coming to an end, and Sara seemed more distracted than before. Alex frowned and gently kicked her foot, garnering the attention of the Captain of the Legends.

"No, no, no, no, you're far to pretty to be frowning. Especially the night before my little sisters wedding. What's got you so glum, chum?" Alex slurred, knowing full well her words were coming out like verbal diarrhea but didn't much care. Something about Sara, coupled with the alcohol made her feel like a teenager at an eighteenth, stupid and invincible. 

"Come on, Sara. Smile! Else I will kill you, I swear." Her drunken threats made Sara smile briefly. Sara looked up at Alex and a twinkle of mischief crossed her eyes. Suddenly she looked hungry, and predatorial. She stood up, as best she could given how heavily she was intoxicated.

"You know, I remember a rather attractive woman making me a promise in France, under the moonlight," Sara purred, and Alex fell under her spell. "She told me she'd love to be with me, but only when the time is right," Alex went to speak, but Sara put her finger to the other woman's lips, silencing her. "Tonight's a night to celebrate love. Let's do that, then." She leaned in closer, and whispered in Alex's ear with a slurred, yet husky voice. "Celebrate lo-" Before she could even finish her sentence, Alex was all over her like fur on a feline. They were already lost in each other's kisses, and knew that no one would dare interrupt them where they were. But if they wanted it to take a step further, they'd need more privacy. Sara remembered a window behind them, and even in their drunken state they knew how to scale down a building from this height.

"You thinking what I'm thinking, Alex?" Sara pulled away, with a playful smirk and crooked her finger.

"God, I hope so." Alex mumbled and followed her to window in a trance. The two women drunkenly stumbled to the window, and gently nudged it open. They both shared a quick glance at each other, and Sara went first, climbing out the window and moving down the building, with such elegance and grace that you wouldn't know she was rather drunk unless you'd seen her drinking prior, or smelt the scotch on her breath. Upon reaching the bottom, Sara smiled upwards and began to slowly walk away, teasing Alex bit by bit. 

Alex went out the window as well, knowing full well Kara would be both furious, and proud of her for such a feat. She chuckled at the drunken thought and scaled down the building, landing in the gravel of the gardens with a soft thud, and squelch of the stones being split apart as she landed. She groaned as her knees cracked slightly, and jogged after Sara, barley able to walk in a straight line. She finally caught up with Sara and they went arm in arm.

"You know what they say, Alex," Sara purred gently. "Get a room."

~~~

Kara noticed as soon as she'd entered CC Jitters that everyone's heads had turned, and it was no secret why. In the spirit of being generous with her money, Lena had bought her a dress that costed more than her apartment. It was a beautiful sea blue which hugged her figure nicely. Straps went over her shoulders and clipped at the back, revealing her shoulder blades to the world. She heard a few mumblings about her, but paid them no mind. They were all compliments, and none over the top. Except for Constantine's, but Kara had to suppress a smirk as Amaya slapped him upside his head, and splashed his drink, leaving some of the liquid on the floor, and on his nice shoes.

Instead, Kara was only focused on the look of Barry's face from across the room. He looked rather stunned, and Kara blushed at the sight. No one stopped the Scarlet Speedster in his tracks, and Kara made a mental note to give Lena her gratitude for the dress, and curled hair. She nervously adjusted her glasses on her nose, and sauntered across the floor towards Barry. Upon reaching him, Kara leaned up to bring her lips to his. It was soft, and warm, an experience Kara had dearly missed. She'd been so busy on Earth-38 recently that she'd barely spent any time with Barry since he'd defeated Reign. 

Joe and Eliza had handled most of the wedding preparations, and the happy couple were more than glad to hand the reigns to their parents, and have the experience be somewhat of a surprise. Of course both Joe and Eliza knew what their children would want, and so far they'd done an excellent job at achieving a great venue for both the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding day itself. That was going to be in the heart of the Central City in one of the nicest churches they had. Neither Barry, nor Kara had any idea how they'd gotten the money from it, but Oliver seemed a little more chipper than usual recently. 

"You look remarkable, Kara. Let me guess, a certain Lena Luthor did this?" Barry gestured to Kara's entire outfit, and hair, and makeup with a smile that spoke of his awe. Kara blushed and gently punched his arm to silence him, Barry feigned discomfort with a playful grin, and Kara intertwined their fingers slowly, and gave his hand a soft squeeze.  
"Yeah, good to see you too, Kara." Barry kissed the side of her forehead, and they both started to walk hand in hand through the floor, until they reached the centre and fell into a slow dance to the beat of the music.

"This is what I call being human, Barry," Kara moved her body in time to the music, and Barry in time to hers. "Dancing, friends, and family, crab-cakes, drinks, and an atmosphere to die for." She turned her body so that she was pressed up against his, her back to his chest so she could feel the rhythm of his beating heart.  
"I don't want this night to end, ever." She murmured softly, and felt Barry kiss the top of her head. She never thought she'd feel this way again, but Rao had graced her, and given her a second chance. This wasn't a life she was going to squander.

"Neither. I could stay, and dance with you forever." Barry whispered in her ear, and kissed her cheek. Both of them closed their eyes, and fell into the beat of the song. It was peaceful to sway side to side in each other's arms, and breathe in each other's scent. That was until the music cut out abruptly, and everyone turned to face the makeshift stage someone had set up. Small speakers, and a microphone sat there, with a guitar placed a top the speakers precariously. 

"Hello, everyone! For those of you who don't know me," Winn shouted, and ran up on stage, grabbing the microphone from the stand with an awkward smile. "My name is Winn, and I'm a friend of Kara's. Well, more like her best friend. But anyway, I have a surprise for you all. In honour of the man, and woman of the hour with us tonight, my good friend James and I," Winn gestured to James who waved politely, and Kara chuckled fondly. "Are going to perform a song, it's called Southern Sun, and it's in honour of our good friend Kara Danvers, and the love of her life, Barry Allen!" Winn shouted, and everyone roared in eagerness to see these two perform. Kara wiped away a tear, and waited for them to begin happily.

"In all you'll see  
What was it that came down on me that night  
A conjuring, I held on to that moment  
And lie just to make it alive  
I stood out there in the covering  
In the baskings of a holy night  
And I was lucid and conscious  
And hovering like a firefly  
My mind stretched out on the canopy  
It put its arms out slow  
And I heard the whispers of silence floating down from the radio  
So come on, come on I'm ready now  
I got the feeling honey like I'm ready to roll  
You see I'm not gonna wait till the end of me  
'Cause I got the burning fire in bed of my soul  
I saw the light from a kettle gun  
Sixteen days under a Southern Sun  
And there were times when I thought that  
I wouldn't mind it if I lost my mind out there  
You wouldn't believe me if I told you so  
The things I saw were enough to make the man in me  
A man in me, make a man of me  
So come on, come on I'm ready now  
Go get your things out honey, let's get ready to roll  
Oh I can feel the wave coming over me  
I've been waiting for this day too long just to let it all go  
As a child I was wonder-eyed at the thought that I might know  
A life in the ecstasy of Rock'n Roll  
O-oh-oh i'm not taking it slow  
I'm an arrow in a bow  
You think that I don't know, what it is that makes me glow  
So come on, come on I'm ready now  
I got the feeling honey like I'm ready to roll  
You see I'm not gonna wait till the end of me  
'Cause I got the burning fire in the bed of my soul"

At the end of the song, Kara had tears in her eyes, and Barry held an arm around her, listening proudly as the people he'd once met on a whim sang for him at his own wedding. He'd be sure to thank them for their amazing performance later on. But just as he went to speak, Oliver ran up on stage and snatched the microphone from Winn, he gently tapped the pop-filter. 

"What an amazing performance, wouldn't you agree? Let's give it up again for Winn and James." Oliver tucked the microphone underneath his arm, and clapped his hands. Everyone else followed, and both Winn and James waved as they cleared the stage of their belongings.  
"On the note of Barry and Kara, I'd like to say a few words," He cleared his throat, and smiled. "When I met these two, I didn't like either of them. I thought Barry was an awkward, lying teenager, and Kara was too... weird for my liking. I treated them both awfully, I think I even threatened to shoot Barry if I remember correctly. But neither of them let that dim their hope in me. They both stuck by me, through thick and thin, and saved my life on multiple occasions. I'm proud to call them my friends, because these two are far greater heroes than I will ever be. And it means the world that these two found love in each other. So," Oliver raised his glass. "Thank you both for being my friends. You make me better, just by knowing me. To Barry, and Kara!" He raised his glass in the air, and everyone else did as well.

"To Barry, and Kara!" As everyone toasted the happy couple, Barry and Kara shared a passionate kiss.

"I love you, Mr. Allen."

"I love you too, Ms. Danvers-Allen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	21. Wedding Bells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's all been leading to this. Eagle eyed readers may notice something familiar in this chapter. Keep your eyes out, ladies and gentlemen, and tell me if you notice what you think I'm talking about it! Only chapter left after this, and I'm a little emotional about that. I hope you all enjoy Wedding Bells, and I'll see you on Sunday for the Epilogue!

It was right before the wedding, and Kara couldn't sit still. She would constantly start floating a foot off the floor whenever she started to ramble, and Lena had to grab her arm and tug her back down to Earth; like a rogue balloon threatening to float away, never to be seen again. At first it was endearing, but now Lena was becoming somewhat vexed. She tugged Kara down back to Earth once more with a firm grip. She put both her hands on Kara's square shoulders, and firmly gripped them, staring her dead in the eyes with a gaze that'd make any of Lena's rude business associates quake in their shoes.

"Kara Danvers, I swear to God if you don't sit still I'm dragging Barry in here right now and marrying you both myself." Her voice was firm, but full of mischief. She chuckled to herself, and patted Kara's shoulders kindly. She was getting married, of course she was going to be a little antsy.  
"This dress is beautiful, your hair is beautiful, your eyes are beautiful, you are beautiful. You're going to walk out there, and Barry's jaw is going to hit the floor, I promise you." She soothed, and cupped Kara's cheek. "Stop worrying, God you're worse than your sister at times." She chuckled, and removed her hand, smoothing down her pink bridesmaids dress. Of course Kara had selected her, Alex, and Caitlin to be her bridesmaids. While Barry had given Oliver, and Cisco the honour of being his best men.

"You... really think so? Maybe it's too much, I mean- What I just adjusted my- Ow!" Kara went to reach for her hair to adjust it but Lena firmly slapped it. Of course it didn't actually harm her, but Kara was adjusted to responding with physical feigns of pain in order to fit in.   
"Okay, okay! Rao, I'll- Okay, I'll leave it alone. I'm just nervous, okay? I mean... I dunno why, I love Barry so much! He's amazing, and handsome, and just... him. Why am I so nervous?" She started rambling, and Lena wrapped her arms around the confused Kryptonian before she could float away in confusion and nerves.

"Because your life is changing, Kara. And that's good! You're finally going to have someone to spend the rest of your life with. And that's totally scary, I mean... I was scared as the prospect of having friends. But you just wove your way into my heart, and now we're best friends. And now you'll have Barry, and by God if that man could love you any more I'd be shocked. Now, it's almost time. Let's put the finishing touches on your hair." Lena moved her fingers to Kara's hair in order to properly adjust the curls so they were sitting just right. But something was on her mind, Kara noticed the crinkle in her eyebrows as she worked. It was more than focused precision.

"Something's on your mind, Lena. What is it?" 

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Lena answered, defensively.

"Besides the fact that I can hear you heartbeat. I can see it. It's written all over that face of yours." Kara giggled and stuck her tongue out at Lena in a playful manner, a complete child at heart.

"Um... when I woke up after you... came back, I read your letter. You promised me you'd tell me what El Mayarah means when you came back, I was just thinking about it then, that's all." Lena's breath and voice steadied as she spoke. She hummed quietly to herself as she worked on putting the finishing touches on Kara's hair. There was a comfortable silence in the air, but Kara was eager to fill it. She smiled once Lena pulled her hands away, staring in awe of the craftsmanship and skill it'd taken to get Kara's hair in such a manner. It flowed like a golden river down each side of her head, falling into a spiral just pass her shoulders.

Kara stood there, looking in the mirror with tears in her eyes. Everything was absolutely perfect, and the Girl of Steel was ready to waltz out there, arm in arm with J'onn in place of Zor-El or Jeremiah. He'd been so honoured by the prospect of walking her down the aisle that he'd almost cried once he heard those words. The Martian Manhunter, brought to tears by a simple request by the Girl of Steel. He was a big softy at heart, and Kara had always known it. It just wasn't often she was reminded of how utterly kind and honourable that man was.

She turned to face Lena, and wrapped her arms around the raven haired woman, holding her close. Lena did the same, and wrapped her pale arms around Kara's frame, holding on tight as if they were about to fly. Perhaps they were, given how much Kara was bursting with energy. So much so that she may as well have taken off into flight and propelled herself around the entire planet three times over.

"El Mayarah directly translates to "stronger together." Because you and I are indeed stronger together. No matter what happens, Lena Luthor, you are my best friend, and always will be." Kara whispered in Lena's ear, and brought the armoured woman to tears. She sniffled quietly and buried her head in Kara's shoulder, desperately willing the tears away.  
"Shh... don't cry, it'll ruin your make up. And that, is truly, something to cry about." She laughed, as did Lena. She pulled away from her best friend and chuckled quietly, wiping the single tear rolling down her cheek.  
"Come on. Let's go and turn some heads. I've got a man to marry, now don't I?" Kara grinned, as did Lena who wiped her eyes as well. 

"Twenty dollars if Barry faints as soon as he sees you." Lena grinned, and Kara chuckled with a soft smile and a roll of her eyes.

"You're on, Lena. Don't worry though, I'll buy you a drink with your own money when I beat you." Kara extended her arm, and Lena firmly shook her hand.

~~~

Barry adjusted his tie, firmly yanking on it to tighten it. He hissed as it pressed against his throat, and loosened it a little. He wasn't much of a fan of suits and ties; but a wedding, and especially his own, was a time and place where a suit was warranted. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and pushed them down, pulling his hands out and crossing his arms. He looked at himself in the mirror, and fiddled with his hair. He wanted to get it just right, and was regretting getting that haircut the other day. It was just a little bit too short for his liking, but he'd manage. Wasn't like it was a visible issue unless he was in front of a mirror.

Oliver stepped out from behind the curtain, scratching his beard. He looked rather suave in a suit and tie and looked up at Barry who was clearly shellshocked. He smiled and walked up towards the mirror, and clapped Barry on the shoulder. He was more than happy to be Barry's best man, and to spend the morning before his wedding with him. Barry was clearly nervous, but excited. Of course he was. Any man, or woman, lucky enough to marry the Girl of Steel had every right to be excited.

"You clean up nice, my friend." Oliver chuckled, and Barry laughed nonchalantly.

"Yeah, thanks, yeah, you too." Barry huffed modestly.

"I can't believe you're really doing this." Oliver said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, and stretched his back with a quiet groan.

"Yeah, man! What can I say? I got the girl. And after everything we've been through, I don't think I could see myself spending the rest of my life with anyone else, you know?" Barry beamed whenever he spoke about Kara, and Oliver found it completely endearing.  
"I'm just... happy. I'm happy. No matter what's happened, I'm happy." Barry smiled in content, and Oliver clapped his shoulder.

"Then lets go mingle with the guests before the wedding, Mr. I'm Happy. I'll go find Cisco. Don't want him to miss your wedding, do we?" Oliver walked outside and closed the door behind him. Barry took one last look in the mirror, and adjusted the final piece of his hair before following Oliver out of the room and into the main hall where most of the guests resided. People were busy chatting away, clad in suits and dresses. He looked past him to see Alex and Sara sauntering in, a spring in their steps. Upon passing him, Sara winked at him, and sauntered off, leaving Barry somewhat more than a little confused.

"It's time." Barry muttered to himself with a smile.

~~~

Only a few minutes remained till the ceremony was scheduled to start and Barry could hardly contain himself. He was standing to the side of the altar, rehearsing the vows in his head over and over and over again. Why were they so hard to memorise? It was doing Barry's head in and he pressed his knuckles against his temple.

"Barry?" Barry spun around as someone spoke up, and noticed it was none other then Eliza speaking to him. His face lit up with a huge smile and beckoned her forwards.  
"You look really nice, Barry, I'm glad. Kara deserves only the best, you know." She tapped her nose, and Barry laughed softly with an affirming nod. 

"That she does, Ms. Danve-"

"Eliza. Call me Eliza. I'm about to be your mother-in-law after all." Eliza raised her finger, and Barry's eyes went wide.

"Right, yes, sorry, Eliza. That'll take some getting used too, but I'm sure I'll manage." Barry laughed, and Eliza put a hand on his arm, and gave a gentle and soothing squeeze.

"You know, Kara's always had decent taste in men, but you, Barry, you're the man I want to call my son-in-law. And I am so proud to see my daughter marry a man of caliber such as yourself. I'm happy for you both," Eliza leaned in, and Barry gave her a soft but caring hug.  
"Yeah, get used to hugs like that. It's a Danvers family tradition." She pulled away, and then Diggle was waving his arms, requesting everyone to take their seats.

"Go, Barry. It's time. Break a leg." Eliza smiled and walked back into the crowd and sea of people, taking her place next to Alex who looked as if she were about to cry. Barry rushed over to the altar, and stepped up. He looked to his left and saw Oliver and Cisco already standing there, and to his right was Caitlin, with Lena and Alex slowly walking up and taking their places at the bridesmaid side.

Standing at the altar, Barry was beyond ecstatic. He couldn't believe how his life had suddenly turned around for the better. He was standing there, staring down the aisle as Kara walked down, in her beautiful white gown, arm in arm with J'onn. Barry had never seen the Martian Manhunter look so proud or honoured in his life. Everything was going perfectly, Winn's singing really set the stage, and people were tearing up on both the groom and brides side. Mick was asleep, but him showing up was a testimony to how much he'd grown over the past few years. Even if he was drunk, Barry appreciated having him there.

"Can't say how the days will unfold." Winn was holding the microphone, swaying side to side as he sung. Who knew Winn Schott Jr, D.E.O.'s residence tech genius was such an amazing singer. 

"Can't change what the future may hold." Kara was smiling up at Barry, tears in her eyes as she stared longingly at her future husband in his fancy suit, bow tie, and slick backed hair. 

"But I want you in it, every hour, every minute." Barry looked into the audience and saw most of the Legends tearing up, even Sara looked a little emotional. Probably because Kara was off the table now and Sara could no longer 'corrupt her' as she so elegantly described it. Or perhaps it was because the woman of her dreams' sister was finally getting married, and Sara was rather sentimental. 

"This world can race by far to fast. Hard to see while it's all flying past." Even Joe looked beyond proud, Jay was sitting there to but Barry only saw Henry, his late father.   
He wished his Dad could have been here to see this but Joe was there, with Iris, and they were his family to. 

"But it's clear now, when you're standing here now," Barry looked to Oliver who smirked at him and winked, Cisco smiled brightly. On the bridesmaid side, Lena and Alex were standing in their pink dresses, so proud that Kara managed to snatch such a prize.

"I am meant to be wherever you are, next to me." Winn took a deep breath and smiled at Kara who smiled in return, proud of him for doing this.   
"All I wanna do is, is come runnin' home to you, come runnin' home to you. And all my life I've promised to, keep runnin' home to you," His singing was amazing "Keep runnin' home, home to you." Upon reaching the altar, J'onn handed Kara over to Barry and smiled proudly.

"Today, we're here celebrate the marriage between Bartholomew Henry Allen, and Kara Zor-El." Diggle said with a massive smile on his face, looking at the happy couple.   
"Though I don't know them very well, I know they're a perfect match. How do I know that?" He looked out into the audience and sighed "Because of all of you, and the happy looks you have your faces." He looked at Barry and Kara who were on the verge of crying their eyes out and smiled softly, scratching his chin. "I understand you two have written your own vows?" Barry shook his head and looked at Kara with a massive grin plastered across his face.

"No. Well, I did try but... Then I realised I couldn't fit every single thing I wanted to say into a tiny piece of paper. So I'll speak direct from the heart." Barry cleared his throat and stared at Kara. "Kara Zor-El. When I first met you, I was alone, scared, and far away from home. I didn't know if I'd ever see my friends and family ever again, I was honestly quite terrified. But you were there, standing beside me, making sure I was okay and that I knew even if I never made it back to my family. You would be there for me no matter what. You were my light in the dark, Kara. Without you, I don't know if I'd have ever made it back home. After I left your universe I always knew we'd find each other again, I'm happy to say I was right. I love you, Kara. I love you more then I could possibly describe in words. And I would be honoured to be your husband." Barry could barely contain the tears in his eyes as he spoke direct from the heart, but Kara was bawling her eyes out at Barry's golden words.

"Wonderful. What about you, Kara?" Diggle smiled and clapped Barry on the shoulder who only laughed in response and dried his eyes swiftly, never looking away from his blushing bride. "Think you can top that?" He asked and everyone in the audience chuckled a little, softly, and lovingly.

"You saved me, Barry Allen. When I was falling from the skyscraper, I thought I'd have to fly and give away my identity to the world. I thought I'd never be able to live as a human being ever again after that day. But you saved me. From that moment on I realised that there was no one else in the entire multiverse for me. You looked into my dark and tortured soul on the balcony of CatCo and told me everything would be fine if I kept on trying my best, and it did. I've never been happier as Supergirl, and I've never been happier as Kara Danvers. You were an absolute blast to work with in the field, and I'm so proud to be your wife... Oh Rao I'm crying aren't I? I'll uh... I'll wrap this up! Barry Allen. I may be Supergirl but you're a Superman." She looked at Clark in the audience and winked at him. "I love you, Barry. I love you so much."

"Amazing." Diggle smiled softly at Kara "Do you, Bartholomew Henry Allen, take Kara Zor-El to be your lawfully wedded wife?" 

"I do."

"And do you, Kara Zor-El, take Bartholomew Henry Allen to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." 

"If anyone has any reason as to why these two should not be wed. Speak now, or forever hold your peace."

"Nurg... Urf...." Mick grumbled in his sleep, stirring slightly. Everyone chuckled lightly at the arsonist. He stopped stirring and eventually fell back asleep and Kara laughed through the tears streaming down her face. 

"If that's the case," Diggle smiled and clapped his hands on both Kara and Barry's shoulder. "I now pronounce you, man and wife! You may kiss the bride." Even without access to the Speed Force, Barry moved in a flash and pressed his lips to Kara's, enveloping the couple in a deep and passionate kiss. Everyone stood and cheered for the SuperFlash couple as they kissed each other over and over again. They were both crying their eyes out as they kissed, savouring every second. This was the most perfect wedding they could have asked for. 

"I love you, Barry." Kara whimpered through her tears and stroked Barry's face softly. He couldn't believe this was the day he was finally married to Kara Zor-El.

"I love you too, Kara Danvers-Allen."

~~~

Later that night, celebrations were clearly in order. CC Jitters was once again filled with the friends, and family of Barry Allen and Kara Danvers. Music was playing in the background, with Winn and James once again rocking the stage. Their music choices seemed to strike a cord with the audience, and as such a few people were standing in front of the stage, cheering them on and giving out song requests. Amaya, Ray, and Diggle were taking turns in giving song requests, and Winn was eating it up. He was loving the attention from the crowd, and how pleasant they were to perform for. 

Constantine and Oliver were sitting at the bar, sipping their whiskey as they exchanged stories. They seemed content with each other's company, and Felicity had explained these two were old friends who very rarely saw each other, and they appreciated the time to catch up. Caitlin, Harry, and Eliza were all discussing scientific fields of study amongst themselves, clearly engrossed in each other's tales of discovery or hardship in the scientific community. 

Winn had taken a request for a slower song; Great Southern Land by ICEHOUSE. Those on the dance floor were moving in rhythm to the music, their bodies swaying side to side or hand in hand to the beat, losing themselves in the live music. In the centre of the crowd were Sara, and Alex, lost in each other's eyes. They both didn't seem to notice the music was playing, but swayed side to side nonetheless, constantly adjusting their hair as it fell over their eyes.

"You given any thought to my proposition, Agent Danvers?" Sara asked, her voice cool and crisp. She brushed her golden hair away from her eyes, and smiled softly. One hand was on Alex's shoulder, the other around her hip. Everyone else on the dance floor had seen the chemistry and moved to give them space, not that either woman noticed.  
"Or do you need a little more... persuasion?" She cooed with a grin, and winked. Alex turned her head to the side and blushed heavily, clearly her throat loudly.

"I mean... do you think it could work? I'm going back to another Earth, and you're going back to another time tomorrow. You really think that," She gestured to both their bodies with her forefinger. "This can work?" She asked, clearly anxious or the answer. Sara wasn't one to shy away from the truth.

"We're weird people. This is about as close to normal as we're gonna get, I reckon. And besides, I doubt I can be on the Waverider forever. One day, I need to settle down. Maybe start a family." Sara's eyes went wide. "If you're interested that is. I wouldn't want to pressure you into anything like having chil-" Her nervous rambling was cut off by Alex placing a soft kiss to her lips, and closing the gap between them. Sara held onto her tighter, and smirked into the kiss. As Alex pulled away, Sara made a noise like a disgruntled child.

"Yes, Sara, yes, I will be your girlfriend. Who needs normal anyways? My sisters an alien, who's married to a meta-human from another universe. Normal is overrated, I say." Alex grinned, and Sara closed the gap again, grinning into the kiss happily. She finally had a label to slap on this partnership, and it made her heart flutter. 

Across the dance floor, Barry and Kara watched eagerly. Kara usually didn't like eavesdropping, but her sisters love life was gossip too juicy to ignore. She giggled and bounced up and down where she stood, squealing with her mouth sealed shut and a hand clamping it. Barry looked at her with a quirked brow, until he put two and two together and finally realised why Kara seemed to energetic and excited.

"Oh, did they? No! Yes! No! Kara's that... that's incredible!" Barry said eagerly, and Kara grabbed his arm to ground herself. He laughed and put an arm around her, pulling her closing to him so their bodies were pressed together at the hip. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.  
"I know how much she needs this. After Maggie... it's nice to see her getting back on the horse and riding away." Barry smiled, and Kara hummed affirmatively. She looked up at him, and stood on her toes to kiss his nose. He squirmed, but Kara peppered his jaw with kisses.

"You're not going anywhere mister! It's our wedding night, I get to pepper you with kisses all I want!" Kara grumbled and rested here head on his shoulder once she was content with kisses, sighing outwardly as she watched her sister dancing away with the Captain of the Legends.  
"I'm so happy for her, Barry. It's nice that our night can inspire love, you know? After everything we've been through, I think we all need a little bit of love in our hearts." She smiled widely, but her eyes went wide as she spotted Oliver approaching from the side. He looked a little sheepish, but Kara was more than happy to see him.

"Ollie! Hey! What's up? You don't... need me to rescue a bunch of hostages again, do you?" Her face fell, but raised in joy upon seeing the look on his face.

"I um... I wanted to give you a wedding present. Call me sentimental, but it's from William and I." Oliver offered a small box to Kara. She quirked her brow, and eagerly took it. She opened it up, and gasped at the sight. It was a silver chain, lengthy enough for it to be a necklace. The centre was an arrow, silver to match the chain. It glimmered in the fluorescent lights high above, and Kara took it from the box, and clipped it around her neck.  
"I'm very happy for you both. You clearly deserve each other, and my two best friends getting married? What more could I ask for?" Oliver smiled, and Kara wrapped her arms around him. He made a slight grunt at the touch, but wrapped his arms around her nonetheless. Lot like he had much of a choice in the matter.

"It's beautiful, Oliver. Thank you so much!" Kara beamed, barely able to contain herself.

"Yeah, man. It's such a sweet thing." Barry extended his hand, and Oliver took it, shaking his hand firmly with a smile. He silently stalked back off into the crowd and went to stand with Felicity and William who were talking with Iris and Caitlin by the bar. Barry looked at them as they mingled, and smiled. Bringing people together was what being a hero meant, and this was a dream come true in every regard.

"I love you, Barry. And I will always, always, always, love you." Kara looked up at him, eyes soft and full of love.

"I love you too, Kara."

"Good! Now," Kara snatched his hand, ferocity in her eyes, with but a glimpse of mischief. "Let's go dance!"

"Woah! Wa-" Barry was cut off by Kara yanking him the crowd, and the two began to dance.

Tonight was a night of celebration, celebrating love, life, and happiness. All these heroes, despite their flaws or darkness, all held love in their hearts, and this was the perfect time to express it. People were already falling in love, catching up with old friends, making new ones, and enjoying themselves. When living the life of a hero, things go by so fast, and life can't be taken for granted. Sometimes heroes don't make it home, and that's an unfortunate fact, but for one shining moment, these men and women could unwind and celebrate the one thing they fought so dearly to protect. 

Life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


	22. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, ladies and gentlemen. The Epilogue of Crisis on Earth-1! It’s been a wild ride, eleven weeks together and I’ve loved every second of it. I’ve made you smile, I’ve made you laugh, and I’ve made you cry. All of which, yes, I have enjoyed so so much! I’ll express my gratitude further at the end of the chapter. I hope you all enjoy the Epilogue, and I’ll see you at the end of the chapter.

Barry’s apartment was almost completely empty, dust beginning to pile up on all surfaces. The furniture was ice-cold to the touch, having not been used in nearly three weeks. No one had entered, or left at all. No pets to rummage around, no people to mess up the perfectly made beds. It was almost perfectly peaceful, if not a little dull. Ever since their wedding, Barry and Kara had been spending their time together in Aruba after Mick had suggested it to Sara, who’d passed it on to Alex, who’d passed it on to Kara. Finally it was settled that the SuperFlash couple would spend their romantic getaway in Aruba while Alex and Sara spent a week together in Coast City. They were going to spend it in Star City, but with Diaz running rampant Oliver didn’t want anyone else getting involved, or hurt. Barry didn’t much feel like arguing with Oliver about the safety of others, and neither did Kara. He was stubborn, through and through, but his heart was in the right place. They’d agreed to go to Aruba instead, an that seemed to satisfy Oliver. No one was trying to destroy Aruba every May.

One major benefit of having the ability to run faster than the speed of sound, and fly faster than a speeding bullet meant you didn’t have to worry about travelling by land, sea, or air for a price. No buses, no boats, and no planes. Anywhere you wanted to go, you could get their yourself. It came in handy, and especially on the return trip. Barrelling through the door way, Barry skidded to a halt in his living room, dropping his suitcases to the floor with a soft thud. It puffed up a cloud of dust, and Barry coughed loudly, sprinting to get the vacuum cleaner out of the closet and clean up the entire house. It all took but a minute, and Barry stuffed the equipment back away, and curled his lips to whistle, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he patiently waited for Kara to arrive.

A few seconds later, Kara flew through the window, and dropped her suitcases full of dirty washing’s to the floor. No dust cloud this time, as Barry had swiftly cleaned up in her absence. She adjusted her ponytail and glasses and sighed, collapsing into the big leather couch with a groan. She sat one leg over the other and smiled up at Barry who dashed his suitcases into his room, but left Kara’s in the centre of the room. She looked at her bags, and frowned. She looked up at him with sad eyes, and Barry returned the stare with a soft sigh. 

“I’m sorry, Barry. But my Earth needs me. People are starting to wonder why Supergirl isn’t around anymore. It’s time to return home.” Kara sounded determined, but sad. It wasn’t fun to leave your husband behind on another Earth, but there were duties they both had to attend too.   
“But I promise, I’ll be right back here whenever I can, okay?” Kara smiled, and Barry leaned down to kiss the top of her head. She giggled and patted the side of the couch, Barry plopped himself down firmly with a thud, and groaned. She laid down in his lap, and looked up at him with beady eyes. 

“Yeah, I’ll miss you. But Alex needs you, as does your Earth. We have a duty to be where we need to help.” Barry whispered, running his fingers through her hair, down to her scalp. She mumbled something pleasant underneath her breath, and closed her eyes.  
“I bet she misses you, a lot. You know her. She acts all big and brave, but Alex is a total softie.” He laughed, and Kara hummed affirmation, her humming resonated through Barry’s thighs and up through his body, feeling her in his rib cage. Like a purring kitten laying in your lap after a long and tiring day. 

“Oh, she does! She’s always worrying about me. And her vacation with Sara ended two weeks ago. I bet she’s going crazy without me!” Kara sat up from his lap, and pressed her lips to his with a smirk. He put a hand on her bicep, and tried to tug her back into the couch. She laughed heartily but pulled away, wriggling her forefinger.  
“Oh, no! No, we had enough fun in Aruba, hotshot,” Kara playfully scolded, and kissed his forehead. “Come on. Help me find the portal-thingy Cisco made for me.” She sat up, and rushed into Barry rooms, rummaging around loudly for a few moments before yelling in triumph. “Found it!” She cried out, and dashed back into the living room, feeling the hard and cool metal in her hands, her resolve no longer certain.

“I’ll miss you, Barry. I really will... it sucks not having you around all the time. Being able to wake up next to you every single day. Rao, I think I’ll miss that most of all.” She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair nervously. Barry stood up from the couch and took her hands in his.

“Kara Danvers, I love you. And I will spend every second I possibly can with you. But we have a duty to our cities to help. And your Earth needs Supergirl. Go,” Barry shook her hands firmly. “Go and be the hero I fell in love with. And if you need any help with Reign again... I’ll be there. So will Team Flash, and I bet I can rope Ollie into the fold too.” He grinned, and Kara wrapped her arms around him firmly, giving him a hard squeeze. He wheezed a little as the air was ripped from his lungs, and Kara swiftly put him back down.

“Sorry, sorry!” Kara apologised profusely, and Barry laughed it off, although his bones ached a little.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Now go, Kara. Go! Text me when you get home safe.” Barry asked, and Kara narrowed her eyes.

“You know I’m the Girl of Steel right?” Kara asked, and Barry went silent. “Fine, I’ll do it, dummy. For you.” She stepped back and clicked the button on the disk. It opened a breach, a swirling beautiful vortex which was a tear in the fabric of reality. It lead to another universe, full of people with bountiful stories to tell, and worlds to explore. It was awe inspiring how much a single door to lead to so much.  
“I love you Barry Allen.” Kara turned to look at him, and grabbed her bags from the floor. He walked up to her and kissed her on the lips, feeling her taste one last time, at least for a little while.

“I love you too, Kara Danvers-Allen,” Barry chirped with a grin. “I like the sound of that, actually.” Kara rolled her eyes fondly.

“Get used to it, hotshot,” Kara turned to the portal, and peered at him over her shoulder. “I’ll see you around, Scarlet Speedster.” And with that, Kara leapt into the portal. It absorbed her instantly, and flickered, until it finally snapped shut, and Barry was all alone. He let a single tear roll down his cheek, and turned around to collapse back into the couch and turn on the TV. They’d been a little busy in Aruba, too busy to catch up on the news. As he flicked through the channels, his phone buzzed and he reached into his pocket to get it, reading the text with a grin.

Kara Danvers-Allen <3 - “Home, and I’m safe, dummy. Love you, Bar xx”

~~~

Back on Earth-38, Kara stuffed her phone back in her pocket. She looked around the loft, and took off her glasses. She sat then down on the kitchen counter and sighed, rubbing her eyes. She needed a good nights sleep, and some potstickers. She went to open the fridge door when suddenly another breach opened up exactly where her one had popped up. She spun around, and her eyes turned white, filling with heat, ready to fire at a moments notice.

Instead of a Dominator, Speedster, or Kryptonian bursting through the breach, out stepped Alex Danvers. She was wearing her casual clothes, a dark jacket, dark blue jeans with a grey top, but some things weren’t right. Her hair was an absolute mess, her eyes were obscured by oversized sunglasses, and her neck was strangely covered with a scarf, despite the fact it was rather warm. On her cheek was the faintest trace of lipstick, barely visible to the naked eye. Kara quirked a brow, and crossed her arms with a smirk.

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in!” Kara yelled, and Alex swiftly reconciled from the noise. She hissed, and averted her gaze anywhere but the open window.

“So... loud...” Alex whined, and Kara giggled to herself. “I mean uh... hey, Kara! G-Glad you’re back. I was just... I was out on a D.E.O. mission. Yes, a super important D.E.O. mission, that’s it!” Alex fumbled over herself for an excuse, and Kara wiggled her eyebrows, much to her sisters annoyance. 

“Was that mission, by any chance,” Kara stepped forward, and winked. “Climbing Sara Lance like a tree?” She grinned, and Alex gasped, eyes wide behind her sunglasses.

“Kara!”

“Hey, you’re the one who skipped work for two weeks to spend time with their girlfriend, not me,” Kara laughed to herself, and Alex crossed her arms with a huff like a petulant child. “Shame on you, I’d never do that,” Kara tried to keep up a serious face, but it fell into laughter at the hypocrisy on her own words.   
“Okay, Rao, I would, but only with my husband.” Both sisters fell into a comfortable laughter until it ended up in silence, and Kara looked at how out of sorts Alex looked.  
“Go on, crash on my couch. We’ll start fresh at the D.E.O. tomorrow.” As soon as Kara said it, Alex flopped face first into the cushions with a groan. She laughed, and reached into the kitchen to grab a drink. There wasn’t much certainty across the multiverse, but right there and then, one thing clearly was.

J’onn was going to be pissed.

[How was it? I hope y’all enjoyed it, because I did! So, I just have to say a few things before I go. One; This isn’t my last fan fiction, I still have one planned, and it’s an AgentCanary story set in the same timeline as Heroes and Crisis. I’ll be posting that in the next few months, so stay tuned for that. After that I’ll mainly be focusing on my original stories, built from the ground up. If you’re reading this on Ao3, and you’re interested, come over to my Wattpad and follow me so you’ll be notified when I start posting them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? I hope y’all enjoyed it, because I did! So, I just have to say a few things before I go. One; This isn’t my last fan fiction, I still have one planned, and it’s an AgentCanary story set in the same timeline as Heroes and Crisis. I’ll be posting that in the next few months, so stay tuned for that. After that I’ll mainly be focusing on my original stories, built from the ground up. If you’re reading this on Ao3, and you’re interested, come over to my Wattpad and follow me so you’ll be notified when I start posting them.
> 
> Two; I have to give a huge shoutout to meekayylaa as always for being a fantastic editor, and an amazing best friend. She’s been a light in the dark, and is a beautiful human being, and a fantastic writer. Without her, I doubt I’d have even started posting any of my fanfictions.   
> I also have to give a huge shoutout to Sydneys2003 for inspiring Crisis on Earth-1, and making fantastic stories, and videos. She’s been so kind to me, and supportive since the start, and I can’t thank her enough for that. 
> 
> So, I’ll see you guys in the next few months with ‘I, Vampire’. Can’t wait to let you guys see it. Have a good day everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated, everyone. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments, I love reading them! And I don't bite, I've had some proper criticism from a few readers in the past and it's helped me to grow!


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